Expresssing the Inexpressible
by aserene
Summary: “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” Aldous Huxley
1. Author's Note

**Title: Expressing the Inexpressible**

**Ratings: K-M**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of the songs, individual disclaimers for each chapter.**

**Spoilers: Everything is fair game.**

**Summary: "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley**

_**Author's Note:**__To my readers, this will be a collection of song fics that do not have anything to really do with one another, except for the fact that they all contain music. I can guarantee they will almost all be JIBBS (Jen/Gibbs), but I may throw in a few others every now and then. This is on going and will be updated when I get some musical inspiration. I will always include the artist and lyrics for all the songs. I will also take requests, if you have particular song you want to see let me know. Not all of these are going to be happy, nor can I guarantee that they will all be Rated K, the rating may fluctuate, if it ever hits M I will let you all know and clearly mark it. _

_Please enjoy. –A'serene_

"**After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."**

**-Aldous Huxley**

"**One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love."**

**-Sophocles**

"**Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence."**

**-H. L. Mencken**


	2. 24

**Title: 24**

**Disclaimer: Song "24" by Jem**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: In 24 hours they'll be laying flowers on my life, it's over tonight…**

* * *

She was sitting up in bed, just starring at the far wall. The lights were dimmed, the rain pounded against the glass windows and the roof, a calendar sat beside her, the day circled in red. The clock flipped to midnight, tomorrow was here.

**_Been given 24 hours  
to tie up loose ends  
to make amends  
His eyes said it all  
I started to fall  
and the silence deafened_**

She remembered this day, a little more than twelve years ago. She'd only gone out to get the mail. She'd thought it odd how he hugged her tightly, told her he loved her and was proud of her. He said to take a walk, enjoy the sun. She'd lingered at the mailbox; she knew he had guests. She'd gone back in through the back door and upstairs to her room. The house was silent, his study door closed so that she couldn't hear the 'business' as he called it. Then it came. The two pops that rumbled through the house like thunder and she went flying down the stairs. The study door was open; all she could see was red.

_**Head spinning round  
no time to sit down  
just wanted to  
run and run and run  
Be careful they say  
don't wish life away,  
now I've one day**_

She opened her eyes to banish the memory, the pale white wall meeting her gaze. It was time to face that day all over again. To face the pain, the feelings of betrayal and the rage that had gone through her. She'd tried to run, but accepted that she had to fight. She was still fighting, albeit not as obviously as she had the year before. The year when she thought she was finally going to get the peace she so desperately needed. It had slipped away again, that chance for revenge and now there weren't any more chances in sight.

_**And I can't believe  
how I've been wasting my time**_

She ticked off the moments she could have won, could have defeated the evil that haunted her. They were only a handful but they were enough for her to realize that she hadn't accomplished much except fracturing her heart beyond repair. She sucked in oxygen and let it fill her lungs continuing her life. It would all be over soon anyway.

_**In 24 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
please do it for me**_

The minutes ticked by, and finally another hour. She was still awake; she knew she would not sleep tonight. She could do work, make sure everything was in order, but she didn't have the heart to. She glanced out of the side of her eye to the two pictures that sat on her nightstand, watching over her as she slept. The first featured the young red head girl she spinning around her with father protecting her. The second picture was one she had not always had there, usually it was hidden away but tonight she needed to be reminded of him. His blue eyes stared at hers in the picture, the Eiffel Tower in the background, their arms around each other. The phone rang, she was grateful for the interruption.

"Shepard?"

"Director, a Marine has been found, believed to be a suicide, Agent Gibbs and his team are responding."

"Address?" She demanded, the young woman gave her the requested information and she quickly got out of bed. A brush went through her hair as she pulled a pair of jeans from the closet along with a sweater top. Shoes were slipped into, keys were grabbed along with her phone and she was out the door. The security guards she was not to stray to far from her probably had picked up her movement, but she didn't care. They would soon realize it was not important; she was going to perfectly safe around her old partner. She threw her car into gear and drove through the darkened night to the address she'd been given. She spotted the cars pulled in and could see Ziva and Tony outside the house. Tony must have spotted her because he turned his head and opened his mouth, a minute later she could spot her old partner coming out of the house. She didn't care; let him dictate to her, she didn't have to listen. She got out of the car, he tried to intercept her, and she avoided him. She went through the front door, passed the two stunned agents and then passed an equally shocked McGee until she reached the room, a study, where Ducky and the young assistant Palmer were working.

"Director," Ducky greeted, tempering his surprise well as he spotted Gibbs come in the room hot on her heels.

"Jen," he said just a tad angry. She spared him a glance and watched as he oddly fell silent.

"Cause of death, Ducky?" She questioned her voice strong and threatening.

"Gunshot to the head, most likely self inflicted," Ducky informed glancing at the two old partners.

"Boss?" Came Tony's hesitant voice.

"What DiNozzo?" He demanded.

"Neighbors report hearing two pops, not just one," he responded.

"There's no evidence of two bullets," Ziva spoke up.

"Depending on the weapon its possible they heard the firing and the impact," McGee explained. "Or he test fired."

"If you're going to commit suicide, you don't test fire," Jen snapped spinning on her heel and going back to the front of the house. She went into the front room and started examining everything she could see; focusing completely on the carpet to try and determine how many people had walked through the room. She could hear whispered voices; Tony and Ziva silent reassuring McGee that Gibbs wouldn't kill the Director. She smirked, she wouldn't be too sure of that. She could sense him long before he entered the room and was therefore ready to deflect him when he tried to grab her arm. He didn't seem all that surprised that she had slipped out of his grasp.

"Jen, how did you know about this?" he questioned.

"Dispatch called me," she answered monotonically still studying the room and moving to the next one, he dogged her steps.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for evidence."

"Of what?"

"Anything."

"Jen…two pops is not uncommon, he could have test fired." She stood to her full height and came toe to toe to him meeting his eyes with a stare she only used when she was furious.

"When you commit suicide you do not ever fire the weapon twice!"

"He might have had second thoughts."  
"Would you?"  
"What?"

"Fire twice?"

"Would you?" he countered and again she met his eyes.

"I wouldn't miss," her tone was cold, deadly even and he blinked as he watched some inexpressible emotion flickered through her eyes before disappearing. He never wanted to see that emotion again, whatever it was. He grabbed her arm before she could slip away again and held her tightly.

"DiNozzo, finish the scene, I'm going back to start a background," Gibbs ordered and was responded to. He all but dragged her out of the house. "You can drag your feet all you want, you know I can just as easily throw you in the car." She finally picked up her own feet and walked alongside him the rest of the way to her car. He held out his hand, a usual motion for the keys.

"Right."

"Jen, give me the keys," he warned. She glared and got in the driver's seat. He cursed and slid into the passenger's side, whatever her problem was he hoped she was over it by the time they got back to NCIS. The team watched as they pulled away burning rubber.

"Think they'll kill each other?" Tony inquired.

"I do not want to bet on that one," Ziva responded.

_**Is there a heaven a hell  
and will I come back  
who can tell  
Now I can see  
what matters to me  
it's as clear as crystal**_

She wanted to shoot him. He had some how managed to calm his temper down on the car ride and she had only gotten more furious. The car all but slid into her marked parking space and she got out slamming the door shut. He did the same. He'd never ever hit her before, never would, but he had never been so tempted. They got into the elevator together and hit the floor for the squad room.

"Two pops is murder," she said.

"He committed suicide."

"He's a Medal of Honor recipient," she remarked. He looked at her momentarily surprised before it quickly vanished, he should've known that she would have gotten all the information she could have on this guy.

"He's on trail for War Crimes."  
"Another Marine accused him, because he didn't get a Medal of Honor," she shot back. "He was framed."

"Couldn't take the heat, committed suicide."

"That's as good as a guilty plea," she responded. "Thought Marines were better then that." He knew it was dig, a blow but he wasn't going to respond this time. Something was driving this anger; _she was like this a year ago_. Whatever it was, it was not just this case. He followed her off the elevator and up to MTAC where she preceded to hook up the communications and wake a few three-stars out of their sleep. He had to give her credit for that. The higher ups didn't provide much more information, a transcript of the hearings on the War Crimes that had been conducted thus far were being sent over by courier and the unit would be available for questioning later in the day. After she cut the feed she stood still, waiting for whatever would happen next.

"You really don't think he committed suicide."

"No, I don't," her answer was twofold but she knew he would never notice. "I'm going to get the bastard responsible too." Now that sounded strangely like something he might say, but he ignored it.

"Phone call wake you up or something?"

"Or something." She glanced at him and noticed his brow creased in a subtle fit of jealousy. "Not that something." She passed by him moving back into the hall, he again on her heels. They went down the stairs where she began searches on McGee's computer and he began reading through the information they had. Abby rushed in nearly a half hour later and froze in the middle of the desk area rather surprised at finding the redhead Director sitting across from Gibbs at McGee's desk. _Guess this is what it must have been like_, though she wasn't stupid and she certainly didn't need a neon sign to tell her that there was some serious issues going on right there. _ Mom and Dad are fighting again,_ _just great._

"Abby," Gibbs greeted.

"Gibbs, Director," the Goth responded.

"Abby, thank you for coming in this early," the Director said, politely and Abby nodded.

"Not a problem, Director," Abby assured. "I also just passed Ducky, thought you would want to know Gibbs."

"Call me when you get something," he said after her retreating form. When he looked up Jenny was already on her way to the elevator heading for autopsy. He caught her in record timing. "Jen he hasn't even had the chance to begin."

"Weren't you the one who said learn to anticipate," she quipped and stepped in the lift. He followed slightly perturbed that she had quoted another rule back at him. She entered the autopsy room and watched Ducky and Palmer shift the body before announcing her presences.

"Director, Jethro, you know I'll call you when I get something but I haven't even had the chance to begin."

"If it's all the same Doctor, I think I'll watch," Jenny said in a tone that brooked no opposition though she was fully aware of Gibbs unsuccessfully hiding his gawking.

"You're the Director," Ducky responded. Gibbs chose to keep his mouth shut at this, usually he would have made a comment, saved her from herself, but if she was going to sit through the autopsy, he would too. _This'll be interesting._

_**The places I've been  
the people I've seen  
plans that I made  
start to fade  
The sun's setting gold  
thought I would grow old,  
it wasn't to be**_

He was shocked, not only had she not turn a shade of green to match her eyes, she had remained upright and focused the entire time. She'd barely endured the first five minutes of her first autopsy and had usually avoided them after the fact, but this had just served to prove that she had grown as an agent in their years apart. He didn't make a comment as they retraced their steps up to the squad room, and he was happy to see his team hard at work. The team also wisely kept their mouth shut at the unspoken announcement that the Director would be around for this investigation. Tony and Ziva simply exchanged a look that suggested they would keep on an eye on the Boss and the Boss' Boss. Unfortunately they should have kept their eye on McGee.

"Uh Boss, at the scene we found…"

"Found what McGee?" Gibbs questioned before Jenny could tear the kid's head off.

"Found two casings Boss," DiNozzo informed.

"From two separate guns, also found an extra bullet," Ziva continued.

"So someone tried to shoot him and missed and they he kills himself?" Gibbs inquired.

"Actually Boss," McGee began again but stopped to answer the phone. "Abby's got something." The whole team, Director included, went down to see the Goth, who also kept her mouth shut at Jenny's reappearance.

"So as I'm sure you know we've got two guns, one was the 9mm that killed the Marine, the other was a test fire and it's a colt revolver," She explained showing them the evidence. "Now do you want to know how I know?"  
"Know what Abbs?" Gibbs asked.

"That someone killed the Marine."

"I do," Jenny replied.

"So I was processing the gun found, and you would think it was a standard suicide except…" she held up the gun. "Someone forced him to do it. Held his hand so that their prints wouldn't be on the gun, but they weren't very careful, I got a partial. Someone defiantly helped the Marine kill himself."

"Good work Abby," Jenny praised and turned on her heel. The rest of the team watched.

"What she said," Gibbs said heading out the door.

_**And I can't believe  
how I've been wasting my time**_

Jenny returned to her office to stare out the window at the rain sliding down the glass. The drawer behind her was open, displaying her gun and she refused to glance at it. She would see it again soon enough. Her computer was processing her requests for information and displaying them in neat separate windows so she could browse them at her leisure. Except there wasn't time for leisure, now, she wanted to know who had killed this Marine, who wanted it to look like a suicide. She heard her office door open and close again. She didn't bother turning around, she knew he was there. He was breathing heavy.

"Jen you're taking a person interest in this case," he pointed out. She glanced at him over her shoulder.

"And I can't see why you're not," she responded. "I can't imagine that someone killing a Marine and making it look like suicide sits well with you."

"It doesn't," he assured. He watched her glance at her watch for a second and saw a break in her usually impenetrable defense shield; he tried to slip in by taking a step closer. It was too late though; she had anticipated the move and turned to face him head on.

"Shouldn't you be out looking for a murderer?"

"I am."

"In my office?"  
"You're the one running the searches, why repeat them?" He inquired smugly.

"The transcripts arrived, you can sort through them," she said. He raised an eyebrow and took the offered document.

"Have you read them?"

"Says he was responsible for the rape and murder of three women," she informed him. "He pulled half his team out of an exploding building, somehow I don't think a rapist and murderer would do that."

"You never know Jen," he sighed. "The most honorable of men can be murderers."

"You're not," she countered, not looking up from her computer. He stared at her for a moment.

"You ever killed someone in cold blood Jen?" He asked. She met his eyes as a memory floated in her mind.

"I say yes, you going to bring me up on charges?" She questioned lightly. He studied her eyes looking for any evidence of her tell and she knew he was.

"No."

"Then yes, I wouldn't call it cold blood, though."

"Accident?"

"Oh no, I wanted him dead, stabbed him in the shoulder from behind, then I slit his throat," she related. His eyes never left hers as she said the words that he would have never suspected.

"Any reason?"

"He had a gun," she said simply and that was it. He waited for her to say something about having a gun trained on someone she cared about her or aimed at her or a child or something, but nothing, not a word of defense.

"You're not sorry."

"No, felt redeemed actually," she remembered.

"You killed him in revenge."

"So I did," she answered. "You can relate I'm sure, even if you didn't kill Ari." He turned away from her at that. "Don't look surprised Jethro, I knew she did it, I told you I was using her, just like she was using me. You got your revenge, Jethro, maybe now you should learn to live again. They won't fault you."

He didn't answer, simply adjusted to this new information about her. He wanted to know whom she'd killed and yet at the same time he didn't. He wanted to know how she had coped with her act, had she buried it from her memories as he had done once, or had she dealt with it? He wanted to know what was making her act this way. She would never have told him about the person she murdered, if she was her usual self. She wouldn't be acting so bold as to tell him to live freely from guilt that she knew he carried. It almost seemed like for this one moment she wanted him to remember what it had been like before they had been tainted.

_**In 18 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
please do it for me**_

She watched him from the balcony. He and his team were trying to find the murderer. They were almost positive it was the Marine who had brought charges against their victim, but they needed to question him to be sure. A search of the surrounding areas hadn't turned up the colt revolver that fired the other weapon, but they weren't quitting just yet. She glanced at the large clock on the wall and counted the time again.

_**In 13 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
Please do it for me**_

He could feel her eyes following his movement; she'd been doing that a lot lately. Watching him from afar, studying him waiting to see his next step. He wondered if she was looking for something specific in him, or if she was worried about him again for some reason. He had recognized a new look in her eyes from the case with Maddie Tyler nearly three months ago. It was a mixed expression, one he couldn't describe but he could spot hints of other emotions, like worry, hurt, heartache, but he couldn't define the whole thing. She watched him that way a lot when Carson had showed up, her eyes softening when she had watched him with the boy. He wondered if somewhere in her mind she wasn't thinking what if. The what-if of course had multiple scenarios, whether she wasn't picturing a child of their own or Kelley he never really knew He just knew that new expression always made him feel like he should be standing beside her and trying to make her laugh or some other such nonsense. He caught her eye, as he was wont to do after a few minutes of her constant stare. She inclined her head slightly in a manner oddly familiar that had once had other meanings, now it was simply a form of greeting, nothing less, nothing more. He snapped at his team again and moved back up the stairs to stand beside her.

"You know once it would just be nice for them to turn themselves in," she sighed half-heartedly.

"Where's the fun in that?" He joked. She shook her head slightly, a lock of hair falling into her face. "You know this is just part of the whole thing."

"I know, but still it would be nice."

"It would," he agreed.

"Boss!" DiNozzo's voice cut in over their thoughts as it rose up from the squad room.

"Did you find him yet?"

"Got him Boss, McGeek is tracking him as we speak," Tony replied.  
"Well, go bring him in," Jenny said.

"You're not coming?" He was admittedly surprised.

"I have to call his parents." He simply nodded and moved quickly down the stairs. She retreated back to her office to place two phone calls. After that unpleasant task was completed she pulled her gun from her drawer and glanced at her watch, it was time. She placed the gun in its holster, dropped her badge in her purse and grabbed her coat. She went down to the deserted squad room and sat down at Gibbs' desk. She had never officially sat there; it was always his desk and probably always would be his desk. She opened the first drawer to find an envelope and opened the middle drawer, he didn't think she knew about it, but she pulled out the picture from Serbia and smiled slightly. She carefully flipped it over and wrote a short message on the back: _One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. I meant what I said then-Jen. _ She knew he would understand eventually, if not immediately.

It had been a time when they were both exhausted and bored out of their minds from playing monopoly. There was one activity that was never boring but they were both to tired to even contemplate it. They'd gone through things they'd been forced to memorize as a child and each tried to guess who had said the other's quote. She had thought she had one he would never guess, but she was wrong.

_"You'll never get this one."_

_"That's what you said about the last two."_

_"Jethro, you guess this one and I'll…"_

_"You'll…"_

_"Let you win at Monopoly," she bargained, he had lots twenty five times to her. He smirked but gestured for her to continue. "One word free us of all the weight and pain of life…"_

_"That word is love, Sophocles." She moved to rest on her elbow and looked down at him slightly amazed._

_"Don't tell me they make you quote Sophocles in the Marine Corps." _

_"Took a philosophy course in high school," he told her. "I don't think I've ever understood it," he said after a minute of thought. _

_"Neither did I. Love is one of the sweetest pains and greatest burdens of all," she whispered softly kissing his cheek. He didn't answer simply kissing her back and causing her to forget all else except the way he loved her._

She brushed the memory away and moved toward the elevator. She walked outside the camera range and looked back at the head quarters before continuing down the block. She knew she would have the time to do this.

_**I'm not alone, I sense it, I sense it  
All that I said, I meant it, I meant it**_

_**And I can't believe  
how much I've wasted my time**_

Gibbs sat down at his desk rather happily. They had caught the SOB responsible for the murder of their Marine and the team had come out of the chase unscathed which was always a plus where DiNozzo was concerned. He had been kind of surprised not to find Jenny waiting there for them, ready to pounce and interrogate the suspect herself, but she was no where to be found. He figured she'd went to get some coffee or something to calm her nerves or was locked away in MTAC trying to distract herself from the unpleasant phone call she had no doubt made. He noticed the envelope on his desk but ignored it for a second instead deciding to go up and maybe pull Jen out of the office. Ziva watched him get up and let out something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle.

"Officer David?"  
"Gibbs?"

"I didn't think Mossad agent's giggled."

"We don't, I just find it amusing that my friend ditches me for, what was the word again McGee?"

"Groveling."

"Wait whose groveling?" Tony questioned. Ziva smirked at Gibbs but he appeared clueless to her.

"I asked Jenny if she wanted to watch _Casablanca_, she said you were brining her dinner to make up for not believing her about the murder," Ziva informed. Gibbs met the younger woman's eyes and studied them, no deception. Which begged the question of his own memory, he didn't remember saying that, but maybe he had? He was pretty sure he would never use the word groveling.

"She said the same thing to me," Abby replied coming up to the group. "I asked her if she wanted to go to this marital arts class."

"I wasn't aware you two spent so much time with her," Gibbs remarked. Tony and McGee looked up at him in mild surprise.

"Uh Boss…" Tony began quietly.

"We don't, well I don't," Abby said. "I just thought that…"

"That?" Gibbs questioned.

"Well Boss, with today being what it is and all," Tony finally spit out he was kinda surprised Gibbs wasn't reacting to this. Gibbs looked at the younger man.

"It's not her birthday," he pointed out.

"No Boss, of course not, do you even know when her birthday is?" Tony inquired.

"Do you?"  
"Uh no, she wouldn't tell us, I don't even think Ziva knows."

"Ha that proves how little you know me," Ziva countered. "But seriously Gibbs, dinner was a good idea."

"Sure…"

"Boss you didn't ask her to dinner, did you?" McGee questioned.

"What do you think Probie?"

"Well I just thought that with today…"

"What exactly is today?" Gibbs demanded. The team fell silent.

"Today Jethro, is the day her father died," Ducky informed rather solemnly. "I thought you knew that." He glanced at the calendar rather silent, trying to process the whole thing. _It certainly explains her behavior_.

"You all knew and didn't say a word during the case."

"We thought you knew Gibbs," Ziva protested.

"We thought it was your way of helping her deal with it," Abby added on.

"But it doesn't explain why she lied to you two," Tony pointed out. Gibbs again noticed the envelope on his desk and opened it finally. He pulled out the picture he had stored in his middle drawer and flipped it over. _One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. I meant what I said then-Jen, _he read the words three times, only need the one glance to finish the rest of the sentence. It was a bold move on her part, _two bold moves in one day_, he thought. It was something they had never discussed, as much as they danced around their past, the whole I love you thing was pretty much ignored. He had always remembered the last line of her farewell letter; _I love you, more than I think you know_. He had always wondered if that love had lasted at all, if her decision really had been what she needed to do for her even if it meant breaking her heart and his. What was it she had said…"_Maybe you should learn to live again. They won't fault you."_ He went up the stairs to her office ignoring his team's curious glances and opened the second drawer in her desk; her gun was gone.

"McGee!" He shouted.

"Yes Boss?" He heard the echoing response.

"Find her!"

_**In just 8 hours they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
please do it for me**_

He was going to kill her when he found her, kill her or kiss her hadn't quite decided. He did not need this kind of scare at his age. He didn't think she would do it, but he couldn't be sure. He didn't think the team suspected, well maybe Ziva, but the others were clueless. The Jeep Wrangler she'd rented had been tracked to a forest preserve that overlooked the beach. According to Ziva she'd gone there as a child and it was where she'd wanted her father's ashes scattered but that hadn't been allowed. He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of this as a cause of her weird behavior but he hadn't and that was what mattered. He knew when he found her he would force her to take a vacation, get away from the death for a bit or at the very least be around more often to listen to her, be her friend for a change, instead of the pitiful excuse for one he'd been lately.

She sat down on the cold, hard ground. She was tired of everything. She had left her badge in the car, she wasn't out here as the Director of NCIS; she was out here as a daughter. She glanced at her watch again; the illuminating dials enough for her to be able to know the exact time, even if she hadn't been counting the minutes steadily in her head. The what-if circulated through her head, she had always thought that he must have known, must have at least suspected, why else send her out of the house and tell her to enjoy the sunshine. Why else hug her and tell her he loved her? The cruel hope that had been given to her this past year had simply been what made this defeat all the more painful. She had begun to believe that it might be possible, that maybe he wasn't really gone, but she knew that was a lie. She raised the gun and fired.

_**In just 1 hour they'll be  
laying flowers  
on my life, it's over tonight  
I'm not messing no I  
need your blessing  
and your promise to live free  
please do it for me**_

He heard the sound of two distinct gunshots and tried not to panic. There was no evidence that she had someone else with her, all of it suggested she'd be by herself when he found her. There wasn't another car when he'd pulled in, just the Jeep Wrangler that had been rented to her. He had spotted her purse and badge though and that had only made him begin the tracking that much faster. He had followed the most obvious path and noticed broken plants, recent breaks to and he wasn't worried. The gunshots however, that was worrying. He all but ran through the last little bit of wooded area into the open area where he could tell there was a sharp drop off. He didn't see her. He noticed as the Lighthouse's light came toward him that there was a small figure sitting at the very edge. The light had been enough to catch the faint red hair and he felt his breath catch. He moved slowly not wanting to frighten her or worse cause her to panic and fire. He waited for the lighthouse beam to cast her into view again and found that she hadn't moved but it didn't appear that there was blood.

"Jen," he called softly and he noticed her shoulders tense. "Jen toss me the gun." He watched her place it next to her and moved to her side taking it out of her reach and setting it aside along with his. He didn't need her getting ideas. He sat down beside her, for the first time noticing that her legs were dangling over the edge and he pulled her back closer to his side and away from the edge. "Jen?"

He watched her close her eyes. She was tense and ready to attack, but he felt the fight going on within herself. Her eyelids moved rapidly as if she were reliving some horrible moment and he vaguely wondered if this is what he had looked like in the coma. He felt her heart accelerate as if she were fighting some demon and her skin felt clammy. He rubbed his hand down her arm trying to warm her and take away whatever was causing this reaction. He had seen her like this a couple of times before, but they had been lovers then and he had simply distracted her from her nightmares and usually it worked. There had been one time however when all it had taken was him wrapping his arms around her and she'd curled as closed as she could and sobbed. He had never asked what she had dreamt about, but he knew he would now. Whatever battle she was fighting, he could tell she was a losing; silent tears ran down her face and finally she lost her strength. The walls that usually held her emotions in came crumbling down and the tears flowed like a heavy rainstorm. She began to shiver and he held her tightly trying to get her to acknowledge him the littlest bit.

"Jen," he tried again and it seemed as if it threw some switch inside her.

"Jethro, he's gone," she whispered chocking on more sobs.

"I know, I know," he said. "I know it hurts."

"They wanted me to think he wasn't, I almost believed them," she confessed. He had suspected as much, and he could only imagine how that had made her feel. You don't have to imagine, if someone told you they were alive, that Kelley was all grown up, that's how you would feel, an inner voice spoke up. "I knew it couldn't be true, I saw the blood, I felt for his pulse, but I thought maybe…just maybe…."

"Shh…I know," he reassured. He wasn't sure how long they sat like that, enough for him to get a little chilled, but her sobs turned to quiet blips in her breathing and he tried to keep her grounded. She finally shifted a bit and he loosened his grip but didn't let go. "Hey."

"How…. how did you find me?" her voice was slightly hoarse.

"There's a tracker in the car," he said. She nodded. She looked at her watch again.

"Did you catch him?"  
"He confessed."

"Good," she replied.

"So Ziva tells me I owe you dinner for breaking the case," he said trying to bring her out of her shell.

"Did she?" Jenny questioned turning slightly to meet his worried gaze.

"Yea, she said you turned down Casablanca to have dinner with me."

"Hm…" was the only response.

"Have dinner with me?" He asked hesitantly.

"I…I'm not really good company right now," she muttered brushing her hands over her eyes again.

"I'm never good company," he replied. She was silent so he tried another tactic. "You never told me what today was."

"Jethro, I think about this once a year, so let me be miserable, I'll be fine tomorrow," she promised.

"That's just it Jen, I can't let this go. An hour ago I didn't know if I was ever going to see you again," he said a bit of anger surfacing. "All I heard were the shots."

"Shots, plural, Jethro," she reminded. "Besides, if I go through with it, he wins."

"Maybe you should learn to live again, he won't fault you for it," he said gently.

"Not fair," she mumbled.

"What?"

"Using my words against me," she explained. "I'm sorry though."

"For what?"

"Putting you through this, I didn't think you'd even notice I was gone, I thought you'd all be a lot longer, that I'd be back before you," she said.

"I would have come with you," he responded.

"I always go by myself, just like you and the beach," she replied. He studied her curiously. "I…trailed you this last time. I was worried, with Maddie and everything…" He nodded in understanding, it was good to know he supposed, even if he never wanted her to see him like that, he knew she had seen him much, much worse.

"You just promise you won't go by yourself without at least telling me again," He asked. "I just worry that something might…happen."  
"I promise," she vowed. "So…about that dinner?"

"Yea yea, come on," he said pushing himself to his feet and pulling her up. He picked up the gun but thought it was a bit heavy for her. "Jen…"

"Hm?" She said tossing a little collection of leaves and flowers over the side.

"This isn't your gun," he said. She nodded.

"Mine's in the car. They…gave that to me, a memento I don't really get it, but I can't get rid of it." He said nothing and led her through the forest back toward the parking area. When they got there she only spotted her Jeep. "Where's your car?"

"Ziva took it back," he answered. "I always wanted to drive a Jeep." She pulled herself into the passenger seat and spotted the white envelope she had left on his desk and felt her heart jump to her throat again. He started the Jeep and put it into gear. He pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. She opened it carefully and found the picture from her nightstand, she glanced at him but he was focused on the road. She flipped the photo over and read the writing: That word is Love. I meant it too Jen. –Jethro. He had one hand on the steering wheel and the other sitting by his side; she took his free hand interlacing her fingers with his.

_**Please do it for me**_

**-END-**


	3. Do You Remember?

**Title: Do You Remember?**

**Rating: K**

**Disclaimer: Lyrics from "Do You Remember?" by Jack Johnson**

**Spoilers: Up and through "Singled Out"**

**Summary: Do you remember? A theory on the giver of the orchids. **

_**For elflordsmistress- Hope this was kinda what you were thinking when I explained it, no angst…well not much ;)**_

* * *

"Orchids, of course they're orchids," Tony agreed. She rolled her eyes and held out her hand. "Oh this just fell out while I was sniffing them." She looked at the small envelope but said nothing, the orchids had certainly been a surprise this morning and she hadn't even noticed the card, _but now is not the time to be wondering._She pushed the thoughts away and discussed a promotion with Tony. He asked her to keep it quiet, which is the one thing she didn't want to do. She watched him slip out her door and turned to the envelope in her hand. She opened it and smiled at the handwriting. _Thanks Jen. 10-3-1997. _

She glanced at the calendar on her desk and smiled. It was hard to believe that so many years ago they had flown to France and they had only been partners for a month. He'd given her orchids for the first time only a few days after they'd gotten to France. She smiled again; today was going to be a pretty good day.

_**Do you remember when we first met? I sure do  
It was some time in early September  
Though you were lazy about it, you made me wait around  
I was so crazy about you, I didn't min**_d

Gibbs watched Tony come back down the stairs from the Director's office. He was mildly curious as to the reason of his being up there, but he ignored it. He would think that by now she had found the flowers and the card, hopefully before DiNozzo had. He had glanced at the calendar this morning and the idea had come to him. It would also be a way to thank her for what she had done. He knew that not every Director would take back their less than cooperative agent. _She didn't do it as the Director; she did as your partner, _a voice reminded. The phone rang and he answered it.

"Grab your gear!" He ordered, knowing that Tony had already been packing up. Maybe it was time for the kid to get his own team, he'd certainly held this one together long enough. He was just stepping into the elevator when he spotted her on the catwalk above the squad room. He smirked slightly, her hair had been longer and she'd been wearing pants and a jacket but that was exactly how he'd spotted her for the first time. His first thought was that she was gorgeous, his second that she had both beauty and brains and that working with her was not going to be to difficult. _Not difficult at all,_ he mused. _Just distracting._ The day they'd gotten their orders for France he'd been late, because he'd spent five minutes staring at her classic car. Today was going to be interesting to say the very least.

_**So I was late for class, I locked my bike to yours  
It wasn't hard to find, you'd painted flowers on  
Guess that I was afraid that if you rolled away  
You might not roll back my direction really soon**_

She was watching his team from the corner of the catwalk, out sight. Which was probably a good thing given the idea that had just popped into their heads. Using a computer program to predict future offspring was certainly a forward thinking idea, she'd love to know how he'd react. She tried not to think about kids too much, after all in her line of work there wasn't really room to be racing to soccer games and ballet recitals, but if things had turned out differently, if she had made different choices, it might have been possible.

"Now that's not a bad combination," she heard Ziva.

"Yea, even with Gibbs for a father, I'd date her," Tony agreed.

"Never more than once DiNozzo." She smirked at that, _completely predictable_.

"Aw you and the Director make nice Gibblets, Gibbs," Abby praised. She bit her tongue from laughing and his very surprised face; apparently he hadn't noticed the mother of his offspring right away. She saw one instance of some intense emotion but ignored it, those things happened every now and then. She watched him refocus his team, a gentle scolding in the midst of the order and then watched him turn his head in her direction. She stepped back from her hiding spot and retreated into her office.

He spotted her retreat; he had also seen the amused glint in her eye before she turned away. She had this way of looking at you when she was amused and knew she shouldn't be. She would bit the corner of her lip to keep her smile from spreading and her eyes would light up laughingly.

_**Well, I was crazy about you then and now  
The craziest thing of all, over ten years have gone by  
And you're still mine, we're locked in time  
Let's rewind**_

She stood beside him in the viewing room talking about DiNozzo, how he should be proud of him. He knew that, he wouldn't have left if he didn't think the younger agent could hold them together.

"Then give him his own team," he countered.

"You think he's ready?" She asked curiously.

"I wouldn't have left if I didn't think he could handle it," he informed. She nodded.

"You should tell him that," she suggested and it all made sense. What she had asked of DiNozzo, and the decision she was convinced the younger agent had already made. He wondered if perhaps there weren't times when she thought about her own decisions.

"When DiNozzo's ready for his own team, you'll know, hell the whole world will know." She fell silent as they watched Ziva and Tony interrogate the suspect. She was humming something under her breath and he had his usual gaze of intensity. He couldn't help thinking over their past, especially when he was standing right beside him, close enough that he could smell her perfume.

_**Do you remember when we first moved in together?  
The piano took up the living room  
You played me boogie-woogie I played you love songs  
You'd say we're playing house now you still say we are**_

_The hotel was small but elegant as well it should be for the price he knew NCIS was paying for it. Yet this was how they were to live, being undercover certainly had its perks. Now if he could just find his partner. She hadn't been in the room when he'd gotten back from the 'meet' and he'd been a little worried at first. She'd left a note saying she wouldn't leave the hotel she was just going to see if she could find something to do. She had complained bitterly about being left behind for this first meeting, but he hadn't wanted anything to happen to her. He walked past the small ballroom on the second floor, the floor always seemed deserted but today he heard the faint strains of a jazz song. He pushed open the door slightly and spotted her. Her red hair tumbled down her back, her head bent in concentration over the keys of the beautiful old piano. _

_"I didn't know you could play," he said. Her head shot straight up and her shock faded to a secretive smile._

_"You startled me," she replied ignoring his comment. She made to get up but he motioned her to stay put and came to sit beside her. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her in and a slow sweet kiss. "Hi."_

_"Hi," he responded letting his finger trail down her neck. "So what are you playing?"_

_"Oh uh just random stuff," she said. "I'm not very good."' _

_"I think you're good," he complimented. He sat down on the bench and turned to the piano keys. He could very easily be about to make a fool of himself but he tired. He began to play a sweet little melody and watched a smile spread across her eyes._

_"Very cute, I learned to play Heart and Soul too," she told him, picking up the duet half and they played the piano together._

He let the memory leave him as she twitched slightly beside him. He hadn't touched a piano since the last time he played with her. He knew she still had a piano; it had been in a back room on the first floor when he'd taken her home after her kidnapping the year before. It looked to be collecting dust and she had swiftly closed the door to the room, apparently she didn't play anymore.

He watched DiNozzo and Ziva finish and they were off, getting a tip about the real bad guy. Jen simply went back up the stairs, he assumed to her office, but he supposed he wouldn't actually know. They made the bust, Tony cuffing the guy and leading him to the cops.

"Can't tell me you didn't miss this in Mexico?" Tony said sounding hopeful.

"For a few minutes."

"Just a few?"

"That's the difference between putting her in a hospital and putting her in a body bag," he told the younger man. He said nothing more, especially as they returned to head quarters and Tony went up the stairs, Gibbs watched him linger at Jen's office door.

_**We built our getaway up in a tree we found  
We felt so far away though we were still in town  
Now I remember watching that old tree burn down  
I took a picture that I don't like to look at**_

She was sitting in her office, lights darkened slightly, waiting for Tony to give her his decision, she already knew what it was, but she wanted the young man to speak for himself. He entered and explained his lateness. She reminded him that the deadline had passed hours ago, but allowed him to continue.

"I made my decision."

"I know and I respect it," she replied. "Sometimes I even wished I had made the same one myself."

"But I'm passing on the promotion Jenny," he said surprised.

"I know."

"Well how can you know?" He questioned. "I just made up my mind behind the door." He looked so confused, like a young child, and she could understand his reasons behind his decisions. She knew she would give him a reason, one he would never repeat to anyone. Tony had grown in the time Gibbs had been gone, although his desire for information about both their pasts had never abated. She supposed just this once; she could give him some insight into it.

"To get here, in this office, especially as a woman, my career has been on the fast track my entire life. And between you and me, sometimes I wish I had taken it a little slower." She hoped her voice didn't sound as full of regret as she felt.

"So you're not disappointed."

"No," she assured. "Actually I'm feeling a bit proud at the moment." He seemed content with the answer and she watched him leave with a request for an award, she smirked, _typical DiNozzo_. He left her office and she turned her head to look at the flowers again, letting out a quiet sigh. Everyone had some regrets she supposed, she just wondered if there wasn't a way to some how fix it all. _But that's tomorrow's problem; he made the right choice. _

Gibbs watched DiNozzo come back down the stairs again. Ziva was looking at him curiously while McGee waited with baited breath to see if something had happened. The younger man looked somewhat puzzled as if he was trying to work something out and when he noticed everyone's stares he made some joking comment that brought smiles to all their faces, all except Gibbs.

"DiNozzo!"

"On your six Boss," came the automatic response as Gibbs walked to the elevator. They stepped in, the doors closed, and Gibbs flipped the switch. He slapped Tony upside the head. "Good to have you back Boss."

"She offered you a promotion."

"She said she wouldn't tell," DiNozzo whined.

"You turned it down." Tony didn't say a word at the point. Gibbs sighed loudly. "You are good agent DiNozzo, you would have been a good team leader."

"Good to know Boss." Tony paused a minute debating whether or not he really wanted to know the answer to all of this. "She knew I wasn't going to take it."

"She's probably pretty damn proud at this moment too."

"Said she was, I don't get it."

"You got to make a choice DiNozzo, its her way of saying she thinks you're doing the right thing," Gibbs explained. Tony still looked confused but he knew the younger man would not regret his decision. He was proud of him too and of her, but he ignored that thought flipping the elevator back on.

"Hey Boss, you know where she got the flowers from?" WHACK. "Shutting up now Boss." They returned to the squad room, Ziva and McGee discussing the flowers the Director had just left with. Gibbs gave them a stare and they jumped back to finishing their reports. Tony sat down at his desk and began to work on his report and Gibbs sat back in his chair.

"Go home, sleep. You can finish the reports in the morning," Gibbs ordered. The team knew better then to question it and so they bolted. Gibbs followed at a much slower pace, stopping back a restaurant to pick up some take out. He turned down the familiar drive and looked up at the town house. The lights were on; she was defiantly home. He went up to the door and heard music from within, a soft piano melody. He knocked gently on the door and heard the pause in music before footsteps on the floor in the entryway. She opened the door looking mildly surprised.

"Jethro," she greeted letting him come inside.

"Brought you dinner," he said simply.

"Dinner?"

"You haven't eaten," he reminded. She shrugged and followed him into her kitchen where he set stuff out on the counter. He noticed the door the backroom was open and a light glowed from inside. "You playing piano again?"

"Uh no, just making sure it doesn't need to be tuned," she answered. "Haven't played in years."

"You should, you're good." She smiled graciously and ignored the fluttering in her heart. Sometimes she really, really hated the distance between them.

"Thank you for the flowers," she said as they set the plates at the table. He shrugged his shoulders as if they weren't a big deal, which she knew they were. "There the talk of the building."

"So I've heard." He glanced at them sitting on the counter in the center underneath the light. He'd only spent an hour trying to decide what color to get her, he was rather proud of them. They ate in comfortable silence occasionally saying a word about the day.

"So this Morph-Pro thing," she began.

"I thought you saw it."

"It was cute, I'm surprised they didn't all get head slapped for it," she replied.

"They were expecting it, I got them later."

"You talked to Tony too, he turned it down," she said.

"I know. When he thinks he's ready, he'll let you know."

"He is ready Jethro," she answered gently. "He's worried about you."

"My loyal St. Bernard."

"I'm serious Jethro," she countered her tone going quiet and trying not to quiver. He reached across the table and put his hands over hers in a comforting motion.

"I know Jen," he assured. The specter of their past was not far away when they were together, but in that moment it came back full force, another table, another dinner, another country even, but the words were used. She had been worried when he'd taken the bullet in the side. She never strayed to far from his side and at night she stayed awake trying to make sure he was comfortable. He'd tried to distract her, but she had said she was afraid she would hurt him more, he had said he knew and understood and kissed her anyway. He tightened his grip on her hand and she shifted so she could intertwine her fingers with his.

"I…."

"Hey, it's going to be okay," he comforted. She nodded and pulled her hand from his. She stood up and went into the far room and sat down at the piano, he followed slowly gauging her emotion. He sat down beside her, she didn't seem to mind. He tapped a few keys and found a perfect sound resonating from the interior. He began to play the one piece he knew exceptionally well and she joined in. It was might have been the past that was driving the song, a memory they both held onto or it could be the desire for that memory to be reality. His hand overlapped hers their fingers brushing and they both paused mid note. He leaned closer and kissed her cheek lightly but she turned her head so the kiss fell upon her lips. He wasn't going to complain, kissing her was the best remedy to any pain.

"I was worried to," she said pulling away.

"I know, I'm sill here, I'm not going anywhere."

"Good to know," she responded leaning in to kiss him again. They never did finish the piece.

_**Well all these times they come and go  
And alone don't seem so long  
Over ten years have gone by  
We can't rewind, we're locked in time  
But you're still mine  
Do you remember?**_

**-END-**


	4. It's Beginning to Get to Me

**Title: It's Beginning to Get to Me**

**Rating: K**

**Disclaimer: Lyrics from the song "It's Beginning to get to Me" by Snow Patrol**

**Spoilers: Everything**

**Summary: And it's beginning to get to me, that I know more of the stars and sea, than I do of what's in your head…**

* * *

He hated shopping. Really, really, hated it. He wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for Abby. Naturally though it was Abby so he couldn't really be angry with her. No he was more irritated with his former partner. Jennifer Shepard was a complicated woman, he decided. _You would think after almost ten years of knowing her I could find a simple birthday present._ It was all Abby's idea, throw a quiet birthday party for the Director of NCIS, one she could enjoy instead of the one she was forced to attend with politicians and other people she had no real joy in seeing. And it being Abby, she had found it very difficult to say no to and so of course it was to just be a dinner, to celebrate her birthday and Halloween, which was only in a few more days. The whole team had been invited and he had thought about not going but he was her former partner and… well the andwasn't really public knowledge. He stepped into grand opening of the mall, the third one in a row. 

_**I wanted something  
That's purer than water  
Like we were**_

_Damn song_. He had just heard this in the car, not in its entirety but it was enough to make him not want to hear it again. He first went to the chocolate shops; perhaps he could find something that she would like. He knew she had a sweet tooth, wasn't sure how she could enjoy as much of the candy as she did and still look the way she did. He found all sorts of things that sounded good, but none that just screamed her. Of course he just wanted to scream at her, she'd been pulling her Director's prerogative one to many times this week and they'd butted heads for almost all of it. They had a unique style of bickering, one that required lots of past knowledge and lots of little digs. His usual tactics didn't work this time, he'd gone for the Gibbs stare, the look of disapproval but she simply did as she pleased. Yet if they were alone she could get just as angry as he could and responded just as harshly but in public she was all sweetness.

**_It's not there now  
Ineloquence and anger  
Are all we have_**

Chocolate shops a bust, maybe the cooking place. She did like to cook, however much she might not get around to it. Maybe he could find her something simple, impersonal. _Now there's the problem, _he didn't' want to be impersonal, but he also didn't want to be too personal. Sure they'd certainly been a lot better with each other (minus this week) since the whole Frog fiasco, but they were hardly at a good point since her reappearance three years ago.

_"He's your problem now Director," Tom sighed. She stood up and turned slightly and even before he saw her deep green eyes, he knew._

_"Hello Jethro."_

He withheld a smile at the memories that flooded his mind now as they had then. Definitely good memories, all though not all of their past was good and it certainly wasn't long before she was trying to assert her power and he was slowly getting under her skin, in irritation of course.

**_Like Saturn's rings  
An icy loop around me  
Too hard to hold_**

He finally found the cooking store on the third level, who liked these huge malls anyway? He entered and was immediately distracted by the flashing colors and all the orange. Halloween may as well be the most celebrated holiday what with the way they decked everything out. Abby had once explained the actual significance of Halloween and All Hollow's Eve as well. He really didn't for the holiday anymore, not after Kelley. _Damnit_, he needed to stop distracting himself and find a present. _Would it have been that difficult to ask her what she wanted for her birthday?_ Well Yes, he knew that. She didn't want to discuss the party, and besides that he couldn't imagine she would actually want to see him after their argument today. He had thought they'd managed to use every painful topic they knew already, but he was wrong, and it was mostly his fault. He had mentioned the drinking, the one thing he had sworn he would never mention, but he'd been so furious with her that it had just slipped out. She couldn't have looked more surprised if he'd slapped her._Well it's a little late not to ask for forgiveness. _

**_Lash out first  
At all the things we don't like  
Or understand_**

Teapots. Did she even drink tea? _Probably not,_ he sighed, another idea down the drain. He had found a nice coffee mug but knew she probably had a hundred of those. He was looking at some fancy cooper mixer thing when a movement outside the window caught his eye. Faint red hair on a rather lovely looking woman with the two heavy set men standing beside her. At first he wasn't sure, last he'd saw her she was ordering him out of her sight slamming the door to her office. He stepped around another display pretending to look at a cookbook on a shelf, it was her alright. The Director of NCIS out shopping, with her security detail on her heels. He tried to crane his neck to see what she was looking at,_ maybe its something she wants?_ And he knew it would certainly solve his problem if he could buy her something she actually wanted. She would be surprised, perhaps in a forgiving mood and this particular fight could be laid to rest, as opposed to others that would simply be picked up the next morning.

_"I see we're picking up from where we left yesterday," she commented angrily unpacking her case. _

And the arguments usually got worse if they were kept overnight. They had more time to be angrier with the other and convince themselves they were right. He watched her leave the window display apparently not noticing him and move down the corridor. He stepped out of the store looked in the general display and tried to find something that would attract her attention. He spotted an early Christmas thing, the world's most popular cities done out on plates for Christmas. The Eiffel Tower held the prominent center display. _Well that's one idea_, he thought briefly, but knew it was not a good one. Paris may have been one of the happiest times of his life, but it also held one of his largest regrets and judging by the pain he had seen in her eyes, he would guess it hadn't held all good things for her either.

**_And it's beginning to get to me  
That I know more of the stars and sea  
Than I do of what's in your head  
Barely touching in our cold bed_**

He trialed her carefully, the last thing he wanted was for her to find out he had no clue what to get her for her birthday. She'd probably find it amusing, but she would most likely be pissed with his presence. He had hurt her, all the other comments had always been giving as good as you got, but he had legitimately hurt her this time. He also realized as he followed her down to the second level that she could have easily responded with something similar and that she hadn't. Or perhaps he was just over thinking the whole thing and that he should just go and get her a gift card and call it quits. Except for the tiny nagging voice, _Marines don't quit,_ and he was Marine so he sucked it up and trialed her stopping as she eyed something in a jewelry display window.

_A**re you beginning to get my point  
That all this fighting with aching joints  
Is doing nothing but tire us out  
No one knows what this fight's about**_

She'd moved on to the next couple of stores and he approached the jewelry display case. Beautiful rings, an emerald bracelet, and some other precious gems pieces were out. He thought she might like the bracelet with emeralds to match her eyes and quickly retracted that thought. He could most definitely not buy her an emerald bracelet, no matter how much he knew it would suit her. _To bad too, first thing I've seen that she might actually like_. So he continued, he spotted her again this time slipping into a store called _Sephora._ He thought about walking past it really quick but decided he'd go into the Discovery Store while she was in there, and he'd linger near the door, that way he'd see her when she left. He looked around the display case of the Discovery store and spotted a book on the ocean._She likes the ocean_, he thought momentarily, but did he really want to buy her a book? He opened and flipped through it, looking at the different pictures and reading a few of the captions, every so often glancing out the window.

Ten minutes later, he finally saw her security detail and then her lovely form leave, carrying a small bag. _Ten minutes to get one small bag? _He really did hate shopping. He let her out walk him a few stores and decided just to follow, after all she had bought something from Sephora, odds were she didn't need anything else. As he glanced in though he was glad she had bought something, _makeup…definitely not buying her that. _He noticed her stop a few more stores down and pull her phone of her pocket, he really hoped she hadn't spotted him.

**_The answer phone  
The lonely sound of your voice  
Frozen in time_**

Whoever she was on the phone with, she was not happy to be talking to. He almost felt bad, except for the fact that usually he was the one she was yelling at over the phone. They'd had very few conversations over the phone, but one, the first one in six years had been amusing. She hadn't even questioned how he'd gotten her number. He was still impressed that he remembered it.

_"Shepard."_

_"I need partner for the night." Silence._

_"Jethro, don't you know any other women?"_

_"Not any I can call for back up…wait you didn't think I meant…"_

He hadn't been surprised that she'd agreed,_ even if she complained about it._ Surprisingly it was the only stake out he could remember with her that they didn't get distracted. He had found her utterly adorable with her hair pulled up and was surprised that she was still as good a shot as she had always been. He had felt slightly guiltily afterward, he'd put her in danger, but the guilt didn't linger, since she certainly didn't hold it against him. The other phone calls were not all that amusing, but they were fun.

_"Gibbs where are you?"_

_"Right behind you," he replied coming in her office quietly._

_"I really hate it when you do that."_

That phone conversation had had another fond memories attached to it. She'd chopped off her lovely red hair and whether or not it was to make a statement, he was sure he would never know, but he liked it. Loved it, actually, though he liked this new style she had now too, much more Jenny like. He watched her slam her phone shut, one of her security members garbing a door for her and she disappeared into a bookstore. The bookstore looked big enough, he could probably go in there and trail her without much difficulty, except for the fact that she reappeared moments later. She'd slipped her detail. _Clever Jen, really clever. _He followed her as she went by this older shop, looked like it might sell antiques and he watched her freeze right near the window, back track and stare. She moved on a few minutes later and he continued to follow glancing briefly at the shop as well, but he too backtracked and stared.

**_I only need  
The compass that you gave me  
To guide me on_**

The compass was about the same size, gold and everything. It was identical to one he still had hidden away in the house. She had gotten it for him for his birthday many years ago when his had been proven to be broken. She'd got it as a joke, but it was beautiful and thoughtful and he admired it. She had said that it was so he wouldn't lose his way and she'd promised that she was very good at following. She'd never broken that promise, and she'd followed him across Europe and trusted his instincts in the wilderness when they were stuck. They'd been good together, always knew where the other was and he knew that that particular bond had not disappeared. It was simply ignored_, but if a compass makes her stop dead in her tracks then maybe we're just ignoring it when we're around the other?_ He thought about getting her the compass, but decided he couldn't, that too would be way to much of a reminder of their past. _Why is she so difficult?_

**_And it's beginning to get to me  
That I know more of the stars and sea  
Than I do of what's in your head  
Barely touching in our cold bed_**

He wondered if perhaps there was a guidebook or something. She'd stopped in the music store, glanced over lots of stuff but nothing seemed to strike her fancy completely. She'd gone into three different clothing shops coming out with nothing, even though she'd been in there long enough. Her security detail had managed to track her down again, they said nothing but he could tell that both parties were not thrilled with the other. She'd passed a few more stores before she moved toward the food court. He watched her beeline for the Starbucks sign and chuckled quietly at that. She'd never been much of a coffee addict till he'd met her. Now she drank it like water. He watched her place her order and glance towards a silvery reflective thing he noticed her shoulders tensing but he didn't know what it was and he was rather glad with the look she had, she could kill. His phone began to ring.

**_Are you beginning to get my point  
That all this fighting with aching joints  
Is doing nothing but tire us out  
No one knows what this fight's about_**

"Yea Gibbs," he responded without checking the caller id.

"There a particular reason you're following me." _Damn. _He glanced up; she had turned to face him, death evident in her eyes.

"Thought you were in your office," he replied. He thought he heard a 'yea right' but perhaps his hearing was getting bad. He watched her turn to her security detail and give some order or something, they left and he had a vague idea of what she was trying to do. "You ditching your security detail?"

"You planning on killing me?"

"Not at this moment."

"Well then they're not necessary," she said grabbing the two coffees handed to her. She hung up her phone and he did as well as she came closer and held out the coffee. He studied it carefully. "I'll take the first sip if you want."

"That's good, I prefer my coffee without arsenic."

"Not my style." She took a long sip of her coffee. "So why would Leroy Jethro Gibbs be at the mall?"  
"I shop to Jen."

"In Home Depot and Sears maybe," she remarked. "Oh and of course jewelry stores, do you go to a different one every time you have another engagement?"_Ouch, that was…deserved,_ he thought bitterly. It was a good one to, on par with his drinking comment.

"We picking up where we left off?"

"No actually, I'm in a hurry."

"For what?" She ignored this comment and turned away from him glancing both ways before continuing straight. He caught up to her in a minute. "You ditched your detail, shouldn't be leaving soon?"

"I ditched the detail because I hate being in a fishbowl," she snapped.

"Comes with the territory," he reminded. She didn't reply stopping in front of another clothing store and admiring the dress in the window. He of course pictured it on her, _if the front really dipped that low…_ "Got a date?"

"Abby's party."

"Your party."

"Abby's party," she restated. "Which I'm sure you won't be attending."

"Didn't have a choice."

"Great," she muttered. He could tell how thrilled she was with that information. He watched as she stood a little straighter, ignored the dress in the window and moved on to something more conservative. He wondered when the changed had occurred, when had she started staying in her Director mode full time, when had Jen left?

**_It's so thrilling but also wrong  
Don't have to prove that you are so strong  
Cos I can carry you on my back  
After our enemies attack_**

"Hey Jen?"

"What?" She said coolly. She was still not pleased with his constant presence.

"What do you want for your birthday?" That stopped her in her tracks. He had out stepped her before he noticed and turned around to face her. For not wanting to be in a fishbowl she was sure doing an excellent impersonation of a startled goldfish.

"What?"

"I asked you what you wanted for your birthday?" He repeated.

"Yea I got that, why?"

"Sake of conversation?" He tried. She seemed very perplexed by this and he wasn't quite sure why, it was her birthday after all. "Earth to Jen," he called.

"I'm listening," she replied. "So now you want to talk about my birthday."

"Well yea, after all you're having one."

"Had."

"Having, its today."

"So nice of you to remember," she mocked. "Funny how you didn't seem to think it was that important earlier." She walked past him and that was when her words caught him. _Double ouch,_ he thought. He had wished her a happy birthday, hadn't he? Maybe his memory really was getting bad.

"I thought it was important," he defended.

"Of course you did," she assured in her irritating tone. He hated that tone, if he could get rid of it he would, it was the tone she took with some she truly disliked.

"Jen…"

"You know what I want for my birthday?" She questioned.

"What?"  
"You to shut up."

"But…"

"But that's not likely to happen, is it?" She questioned He didn't reply. "I thought so." She kept walking glancing in store windows, he kept pace beside her.

"I don't get you." She glanced over at him; did he think he was a picture book?

"Should I even respond to that?" She inquired.

"How come everyone else knows what to get you?"

"They just do."

"Do you know what you're getting from each of them?"

"Cynthia is getting me one of those heat wraps, McGee's getting me a book, Abby's getting me some mediating thing, Ziva's buying me a weapon, Tony will most likely get me a movie, and Ducky…chocolate or wine."

"Eh…those seem, boring."

"It's the thought that counts Jethro," she quoted.

"But that's not what you want, those are just…things," he explained. She glanced at the watch around her wrist. He knew it was getting late, he really need answer to this.

"Like I said, you never speaking to me again would be perfectly acceptable," she tossed out. "But since that won't happen, might as well buy a bottle of bourbon."She turned on her heel and walked away back towards the entrance, leaving. He wanted to go after her, to tell her that he shouldn't have said it, because he knew it wasn't true. He didn't want to never speak to her again, and he certainly didn't want to speak to the Director for the rest of the time. He wanted Jen back, his partner, his friend…and other. All of this was screaming at him, not for the first time he cursed their jobs. If it had been for them, they might have had a shot, but unfortunately they couldn't just ignore their present.

**_I tried to tell you before I left  
But I was screaming under my breath  
You are the only thing that makes sense  
Just ignore all this present tense_**

He wandered back the way he'd come, stopping again in front of the antique shop. Beside the compass he noticed a leather bound book. He went into the shop to try and get a better look at it, maybe he should just by her the compass as and ignore all other consequences. _Or the book on the ocean…she'd at least look at that. _

"Can I help you find something Sir?"

"The leather notebook?" He asked. The elder man nodded.

"If you come this way Sir, we have a few unique ones with interesting designs." He followed; he couldn't believe was actually even in this store. He spotted a red leather bound one, with gold designs, _classy_, he thought. "For any one in particular?"

"A friend."

"Ah, well they are wonderful gifts, I got my wife one many years ago, actually made her my wife that way." He flipped through the red one again.

"A book? Wish I'd thought of that."

"Oh I'd made a fine mess of things she said she never wanted to speak to me again," the elder man paused in his narrative. "I what I though about her down in the book and handed it to her hoping she would take me back, wrote that my basic reason was I'd missed her, apparently that's what sold her on it, imagine that."

"Yea imagine that."

_"And off the job?"  
"There will be no off the job."_

_"That's too bad, I really missed you Jen." _

_Damn memories_, he cursed silently. He looked at the book again and flipped it open. Well she hadn't said he couldn't write to her and while she was by far the expert on writing letters he supposed it wouldn't hurt to try. He nodded to the elder man and pulled out his wallet, an old worn photo falling out.

"Beautiful lass," the elder man complimented, again he just nodded and waved slightly as the elder man bid him farewell.

**_We need to feel breathless with love  
And not collapse under it's weight  
I'm gasping for the air to fill  
My lungs with everything I've lost_**

He hesitated outside the door. This had the potential to completely backfire on him and he really didn't want to be in worse off place with her. He'd thought about turning back a few times but he knew Abby would never forgive him, Ducky would probably lecture him and he knew if he skipped her birthday she would not likely be inclined to even listen to an apology. He sighed again, squared his shoulders and entered the room. Thankfully it was busy enough that his entrance went by mostly unnoticed, Jen had glanced his direction but not lingered to make eye contact. Abby had come over and pulled him toward the present table. He laid his down towards the back. It was probably a good idea that she opened the others first, might put her in a better mood, less homicidal. He momentarily wondered if it was possible for him to escape the shindig without saying a word to her, however as Ducky approached chatting away in the Director's ear, he knew there was no such luck.

"Ah Jethro, there you are, I was just telling our Director about that time Anthony and Ziva came down to watch the autopsy exam," Ducky rattled away. _Oh good, another reason for her to want to kill me._ "And I find it absolutely fascinating what Ziva mentioned later, didn't you Jethro?"

Ducky was full aware the two hadn't heard a word he'd said. They were to busy glaring at each other. There had been a time when he'd wanted his old friend to develop a backbone where the lovely redhead in front of them was concerned, but when he did it only proved more frustrating. He'd be idly sitting on the sidelines since Jennifer Shepard had walked back into Jethro's life, waiting mainly to see if they managed to avoid the inevitable pull. He was impressed so far with them, disappointed with their secret keeping, but still proud that they hadn't managed to kill each other. And yet it was easy to see that they were both beginning to get to the other. There was only so many ways to deny a fatal attraction.

"I what, Ducky?"

"Didn't you find it interesting what Ziva had said, about Europe?"

"What exactly did she tell you Ducky?" Jenny questioned.

"Well Jethro pointed out that not everyone at NCIS is terminated if they do not pass…" he faded off at Jen's glare. "But Ziva mentioned sometime later that you had sat through several difficult autopsies without so much as blinking."

_Just when had she mentioned that? _He certainly couldn't remember and wondered if perhaps he hadn't been present. He'd always meant to ask Ziva about the time she'd saved Jenny's life, but he always stopped not sure if he really wanted to know. He was also pretty sure that Jenny had probably warned Ziva never to speak of it, or at least not to him.

"Well at least some friends are willing to stick up for each other," Jen digged.

"Well with friends like that," Gibbs began.

"With friends like you Jethro? You're right, who needs enemies," she retorted, excusing herself from Ducky and moving toward Abby and Ziva.

"Jethro…" Ducky paused.

"What Ducky?"

"What did you say this time?" Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Jethro, might I remind you it's her birthday, you should let her have one day of peace and quiet."

"Feel like I don't know her anymore."

"Did you before?"

"I thought I did."

"Did she know you?"  
"Better than most."

"Ah well there's your answer," Ducky said. "You're just furious with the other cause you know which buttons to push. The ones we are closet to are the ones we hurt the most."

"Cliché."

"So it is, well then perhaps you could do her a favor, bring her a glass of champagne, she hasn't had a drop of alcohol all night, I can't imagine she's happy."

"That would not be a good idea, she's probably got her reasons," Gibbs responded, he was rather surprised she was trying that hard to challenge his statement from earlier. Ducky moved on to speak with Tony and he remained near the corner of the room for pretty much the whole night. Abby and McGee had come over hesitantly and stayed for a while, McGee sitting down beside him as Abby went to give toast in honor of Jen. The party began to wind down, other guests left and soon it was just him, his team, Ducky and Abby. Jenny was sorting through presents with Ziva at her side laughing about something amusing; probably the wrapping paper, but he had no idea.

Most of the gifts were small, chocolates, wine, simple things. A few were of various sizes, some were CDs and some were book sized. He watched her pick up the one had hoped she wouldn't see till very last and study it as if she could penetrate the paper with her eyes. Ziva asked her something and she smiled sweetly and replied half-heartedly. Ziva called Abby over and the three women began to carry the gifts out the door. Tony and McGee quickly came over to assist. He moved and grabbed the door for them as Ducky helped with the car doors. They'd gone back inside quickly enough as they hadn't gone out with their coats. Gibbs heard her say her goodbyes and thankyous before grabbing her purse and coat. He already had his coat on and decided to simply wait outside for her. She came out tossing a 'thank you again, Abby' over her shoulder and moved toward the car.

"Jen."

"Jethro, I see you showed, thank you for your present."

"Welcome. Happy Birthday, Jen." He said. She nodded graciously and he opened the car door for her. She slid in placing her purse by her side and said nothing as he closed the door and watched the car pull away. Well he tried, whatever happened next was completely up to her but it was still beginning to get to him.

**_We need to feel breathless with love  
And not collapse under it's weight  
I'm gasping for the air to fill  
My lungs with everything I've lost_**

She had taken a deep breath and grabbed the present from her purse. The second she had spotted the handwriting she knew she had to open it. Her run in with him at the mall had surly not been a coincidence and perhaps he had bought her something she had admired without even noticing that he had been observing her. _Don't suppose it's an emerald bracelet_, she sighed pulling off the paper. She looked at the red leather bound book. It was beautifully handcrafted, decorated with lovely gold design and she was almost positive it was real gold ink. It opened simply and the paper was tough and just as fine as the book it was bound in. She flipped through it and a burned CD fell out. _Burned CD? Does he even own a computer? _ As she contemplated this and what might actually be on it she spotted the white envelope taped to the front cover. _Happy Birthday Jen-Jethro_. She didn't know if she should be surprised that he bought her a card but she quickly opened the envelope and froze. It wasn't a card; it was a letter. She hated letters_, but then again its only fair, your broke his heart with a letter, he's allowed to do the same to you_, an inner voice said haughtily. She read the letter once, and then a second time. By the time the driver had announced they'd reached her house she had it memorized. Naomi had waited up and was helping her security detail place the packages in the house. She was still gripping the letter in one hand, purse over her wrist, and the leather bound notebook holding the CD in her other hand.

She said a brief good night to them all and went straight into her study the door closing quickly. She placed the letter down as if it had scaled her hand and quickly placed the CD in the player. A song she was sure she'd heard on the radio a few times began to play and she sat down, rereading the letter. There was an apology, a plea for forgiveness, and most importantly of all the words that always seemed to make her puddle, _I miss you Jen_. He wrote that he hadn't known what to get her, he'd tried everything he could think of it, and it was pure chance he'd spotted her. He was hoping that she would lead him to something she wanted, but instead he'd been found out. She reached the ending again and took another deep breath.

_I wanted to get you exactly what you wanted, thought it would put you in a more forgiving mood. So I finally summoned the courage to ask, but I can't give you what you want Jen. To not speak to you would be a torture, how would I know if you were amused or pissed, I would miss your voice to much and I don't want to miss it. I would even take your Director tone if that meant you would speak again, but I miss you Jen and it's beginning to get to me._

**_And it's beginning to get to me  
That I know more of the stars and sea  
Than I do of what's in your head  
Barely touching in our cold bed_**

The lyrics that came over the speakers suddenly rang in her ears. She had heard the song in the mall had thought them oddly fitting for her mood at the point in time. Now they had an entirely different meaning to her. She heard Naomi talking to someone and hoped that would be enough of a distraction for her to sneak out of the house. _Sneaking out of my own house…God I really do need to take a break_.

"Senora!" Naomi called knocking on the study door. _Foiled._ She calmed herself down and placed the things on her desk, the music still playing in the background.

"You can come in Naomi." The younger woman opened the door a crack and peaked in.

"Senora, Senor Gibbs is here."

"Is he?"

"He's asking to see you, Senora," Naomi informed. "He knocked Senora."

"Well then send him in," Jen said.

"Si Senora," the younger woman replied leaving the door open a crack and walking back toward the main door. "Senor Gibbs, she's in her study."

"Thank you Naomi." To Jen's ears he sounded relieved, she wondered if that meant he was thinking she might not want to see him. He then further surprised her by knocking on her study door. She pulled the door the rest of the way open. "Can I come in?"

"I told Naomi you could."

"Right."_Way to sound like DiNozzo, _he thought for a second.

"There any particular reason you're here?" She asked.

"Uh….I was going to ask if you wanted help moving the presents from the car to the house, but I guess you already did that."

"Naomi helped." He nodded, _that was obvious_. "I didn't know you could burn CDs."

"Oh I uh asked Abby, I didn't even know the title or anything. I gave her some lyrics and she did the rest."

"Didn't even think you listened to the radio," she commented.

"I heard it…at the mall," he explained. "You get nice stuff?"

"Haven't opened all of them," she replied. He nodded again.

"I could keep a list for you, just so you would know who gave you what," he suggested. She raised an eyebrow at that but conceded and moved back to her desk where there was a pile of presents. Gibbs however noticed the letter on her desk, and the red leather bound book and was just a little worried. _Has she read it yet? _

"It's a beautiful book isn't?" She said. He again nodded. "I saw it in the antique shop the other day, I didn't know you'd been following me then too."

"I wasn't…I saw it today, the store keeper showed it to me, I thought it suited you."

"Well thank you, I just finished my old journal so I can start this one," she responded. He looked at her curiously. _She keeps journals? Can I get copies of these?_

"I didn't know you kept a journal," he said. She sat down in her chair looking at him with the 'like I'll believe that' look.

"Oh Really?" She questioned. He searched his memories, no, he was sure he would have remembered that.

"No, have you always kept one?" She leaned back in her chair.

"Yes."

"Well I can't imagine you would have ever let me read it, so how would I know about it?"

"Right, of course," She replied but it was half-hearted, he knew that look, she had had it when she mentioned Serbia and he responded that he didn't remember it. _I wonder just how many other memories are incomplete. _"Well, I guess I should open these." He stopped her hand, stared down at it for a moment trying to understand it all, how could some memories of her be almost lifelike and yet others he couldn't remember at all.

"I don't remember everything, do I?"

"No, you don't," she answered honestly. She could only imagine how hard this might actually be for him and she felt rather bad for even mentioning it. "But no one expected you to either, we're just happy you remembered us eventually, the rest isn't important."  
"But I don't get it, I can remember little things but not the big things."

"The mind works in mysterious ways," she said.

"Yea but this is ridiculous, I mean you're favorite color is purple, you like peppercorn steak, you hate soda, and love vegetables, I can remember all that but I can't remember reading your journal." She was a little surprised at that, she didn't even remember telling him her favorite color.

"My favorite color?" She questioned.

"Yea, purple, blue, and green, in that order," he rattled off.

"When did I tell you that?"

"When…" he paused a minute. "I don't actually know, are those your favorite colors?"

"Yes, so maybe the when was irrelevant."

"Yea but reading your journal, that seems like something I would want to remember," he said half amused, half irritated. "I don't even remember you being mad that I read it."

"I wasn't mad, I found it rather adorable actually," she responded. "Now I'd probably be furious, so don't even think it."

"Spoilsport," he muttered.

"Why would you even want to read it?" She questioned. "Seems like a silly waste of time."

"Hardly, it would be…. insight," he said.

"Insight?"

"Yea, you know I said X, you think…what ever is you think."

"You think you could get all that from reading my journal?"

"It couldn't hurt."

"One entry."

"What?"

"I'll let you read one entry."

"Of my choosing?" _Oh decisions, decisions…_

"No, of mine."

"Can I pick the year?"

"No."

"Can I at least be mentioned in it?" She had a look of pure mischief that he was hesitant to trust. "That doesn't involve bodily harm?"

"What makes you think I would even write that, anyway?"

"Uh…. well…"

"That was rhetorical," she informed.

"Okay, so one entry?" She stood up dropped the red notebook in his hands and went out of the study saying something about coffee to Naomi, but her words were cut off as she closed the door. He opened the red leather bound book and found her perfect script on the page.

_It's beginning to get to me, that I can't seem to let this go, I miss you Jethro, more than you know._

Four letter word. He decided next to one that began with L this one was the best word ever. He moved toward the door and went out into the hall; he heard sounds in the kitchen and went in to find her pouring two cups of coffee, Naomi evidently gone for the night. He walked into the kitchen and she turned to find him standing there. She placed the coffee cups on the counter and pushed one down to him. He stepped next to her putting the journal down in front of her.

"So you'll talk to me?"

"For as long as you want me to." He leaned down and kissed her, he decided the elder man was right, something's you just can't say, something's have to be written.

**-END-**


	5. Home

**Title: Home**

**Rating: **

**Disclaimer: Song and Lyrics from "Home" by Michael Buble**

**Spoilers: Everything's fair game**

**Summary:****Oh, let me go home**** Oh, I miss you, you know**

**_For Elflordsmistress, by request. I hope you enjoy it, remember it's probably only the first one..._**

* * *

She entered her study searching for a case file she was sure she had just set down. She went over to her desk, the darkened piece of furniture holding many memories for her, not the least of which was the manila envelope that sat at the edge under a stack of bills, notes, and a few other case reports. It caught her eye and she thought that perhaps she had put the file she searched for in it. She opened it up and emptied the contents on the center of the desk and froze. It was most defiantly not the case file on the murdered Marine. Her black and white face stared up at her from the beauty of the city of lights, nearly eight years ago. She shifted through the other photos some colored, some not and found that all were photos she had always wanted to get rid of but could never quite bring herself to do. The couple in the photo appeared foreign to her and yet she knew the two people still existed. 

_**Another summer day**__**  
**__**Has come and gone away**__**  
**__**In Paris and Rome**__**  
**__**But I wanna go home**__**  
**__**Mmmmmmmm**_

She sat down to further examine the photos she'd rediscovered and noticed that a few were a tad more recent, not even a year old. She had shorter hair, a much more expensive leather jacket, fancier shoes, and no man by her side. They were news clippings from her conference in Paris, the last time she had been to the city of love. As she glanced them over she compared them to the much younger woman in the other picture, there was something missing. A smile perhaps, the sparkle in her eye that made her seem alive, these newspaper clippings showed someone she hadn't wanted to see. She was lonely; there was no spark, no hint of a life. She pushed the older photos away from her, and forced herself to study the woman in the newspaper clippings. She was surrounded by hundreds of people, she was the center of a crowd and yet there was no sign of the happiness she would have expected herself to feel, the happiness she had convinced herself to feel. _This is ridiculous, I'm perfectly happy and content, _she thought. _They're just bad photos_, she convinced herself.

_**Maybe surrounded by**__**  
**__**A million people I**__**  
**__**Still feel all alone**__**  
**__**I just wanna go home**__**  
**__**Oh, I miss you, you know**_

She had put the photos away, and had moved through the empty house up to her room where she changed her clothes and slid into the oversized bed, snuggling into the soft pillows and curling up. Sleep did not come, unbidden memories of another bed, another country where she'd lay awake staring at the faint shadow of the Eiffel Tower as it peaked through the window. She hadn't slept well during the conference, even though she'd been in one of the best hotels in Paris. She had told herself it was La Grenouille that kept her awake, the very idea that he could be within her grasp and still so far, and yet she knew that wasn't the truth. Those four nights she had slept in that hotel bed memories of another time in Paris had swirled around her. She hadn't slept a lot then either, but she had been slightly more occupied and always woke feeling more refreshed then she had in the years since. She rested starring at the far wall before finally giving in and opening the drawer on her nightstand. The photos she had hidden away tumbled out on the side as she leaned over them. She spared a brief glance this time at his face, he had that knowing secret smile, she only ever saw when he was now in the company of an Army Colonel,_ Retired Army Colonel_, she reminded herself. That woman was pretty enough, surprisingly not a brilliant red head but she thought that perhaps his taste had changed. Perhaps he had finally found what he truly needed, the things she could never have hoped to give. As much as it may have made her jealous to see the looks once directed at her given to another woman, part of her was happy for him. She hadn't seen him look that way in a long time, he was happy again, and she knew that was what mattered. It was what he deserved after so many years of heartache, that she had only contributed to, she only wished she'd been the one to bring him that happiness.

She pushed the photos away again, refusing to see her happy face smiling and instead reached further back in the drawer. A bundle she had not seen since she had contemplated sending a letter to Mexico appeared in her hands. She carefully undid the golden ribbon that had once held the package to a coat together. Her script adorned each and every unlined page, back and front, the same name at the top of each and every page, _Jethro._ She reread them, already knowing them by heart, and felt a tear slip from her eyes. Each letter placed in an addressed envelope with a stamp included and still none had ever seen the mailbox. As always the words of another letter filtered through her mind, and the tears she attempted to withhold fell.

_**And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to**__**you**__**  
**__**Each one a line or two**__**  
**__**"I'm fine baby, how are you?"**__**  
**__**Well I would send them but I know that it's just not**__**enough**__**  
**__**My words were cold and flat**__**  
**__**And you deserve more than that**_

She could remember the day she left in clear and perfect detail. It had been sunny, she'd always thought it was ironic, she'd wanted the weather to reflect her mood, the sky crying just as she had. She had remembered the plane trip home from the conference, Cynthia waiting ever so patiently for her with a happy smile and a joke about her old partner. She had laughed at it as she was supposed to, but her laugh was hollow and flat. She'd hated that plane trip just as much as she'd hated any other to and from that city. She hadn't cared that the sun was once again shinning.

_**Another aeroplane**__**  
**__**Another sunny place**__**  
**__**I'm lucky I know**__**  
**__**But I wanna go home**__**  
**__**Mmmm, I've got to go home**_

She didn't sleep that night. Instead she had decided that she needed to do some real work and she'd be just fine. She'd gone back to her office, her clothes changed, her makeup reapplied, her hair re-brushed, all in all looking as if she'd slept the whole day away. She'd taken the elevator straight up to MTAC and her office glancing briefly at the floor below her. Her steps had slowed as she'd noticed a single light on the floor. She ignored it, she knew who it belonged to and she didn't need to speculate his reasons for being in the office this late or early depending on how you looked at it. She also didn't want him to see her, not till she'd had a few cups of coffee and could pretend that she'd slept. He would know, he always did.

_**Let me go home**__**  
**__**I'm just too far from where you are**__**  
**__**I wanna come home**_

The day progressed smoothly and yet she felt outside it, like she was simply watching her body go through the motions. She sat in MTAC, was given command updates and asked to make life or death decisions and she didn't blink. She watched targets be destroyed, listened and planned maneuvers with all the skills of a general. She tackled the mountain of paperwork on her desk with the enthusiasm of a Mt. Everest climber and yet she didn't feel complete. She had the job she had always dreamed of, had excelled at it in many cases and still she felt incomplete. Cynthia came in to show her photos from her latest press conference and again she saw the strong and confidant woman with the happiness of a starved animal.

Later in the day she was standing on the catwalk handling five different things when she felt a pair of eyes on her. It was for the briefest of moments but she glanced over her shoulder slightly and saw him on the stairs, he looked like he had something to tell her but had thought the better of it. She inclined her head slightly in his direction and his eyes flashed the knowing message with just a touch of something else, she thought it might have been pride. She knew he hated her job, despised every minute that she had forced him into it. She knew it had been the thing to come between them, that had forced them from their happiness and kept them from possibly ever experiencing it again, but that didn't mean she couldn't miss it or wonder if he perhaps wanted her to fail. A memory from the night before, a photograph, colored, a couple standing upon a bridge the woman starring at the horizon and the man starring at his companion flooded her, faith was something they had had, she wondered where it went. Words from weeks earlier flooded her mind.

_"What happened Jethro?"_

_"You made a choice."  
"I had to do what was best for me, still do."_

He hadn't sounded bitter, even though she knew he had every right to be angry with her. He had sounded resigned, something that she saw every so often lurking in his crystal blue eyes. He wasn't so good at hiding his thoughts as he imagined; she could sneak in and read them every so often.

_**And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life**__**  
**__**It's like I just stepped outside**__**  
**__**When everything was going right**__**  
**__**And I know just why you could not**__**  
**__**Come along with me**__**  
**__**'Cause this was not your dream**__**  
**__**But you always believed in me**_

She finally managed to retreat to the relative safety of her office and opened her brief case to grab the case report she needed and was shocked to find the perfectly bundled pile of envelopes. _Damnit!_ She quickly re-stuffed them into her case and ignored any possible implications had someone else found them. The manila envelope was with them, along with the case report she needed. She pulled the case report out but the manila color taunted her with memories. She took the clipping Cynthia had pulled and studied it again, there was a second one attached that she hadn't seen, a late publication, using a picture from the Paris conference, as she hadn't been available for a new one. She was entering a building; her head turned slightly gazing at what she knew was a bridge that crossed a river. A bridge for lovers, a bridge she had crossed more than one time. She thought she could see something in her eyes, something that had been missing from every other photo from that five-day period. She didn't want to contemplate what that might be.

_**Another winter day has come**__**  
**__**And gone away**__**  
**__**In even Paris and Rome**__**  
**__**And I wanna go home**__**  
**__**Let me go home**_

She glanced at the newspaper clipping again. There were people all around her, and yet the photographer had managed to capture just her, the rest were fuzzed out as if they didn't exist at all. She appeared in her own world, alone, by her own choice she admitted, but alone nonetheless. She flipped through the collection of clippings again, in one she was on the phone and she knew who she'd been on the phone with and so ignored the tug at her mind that said she looked younger in that photo, not necessarily burdened by all that she carried. She'd hated that conference, she decided. She hadn't known what she was thinking, that going to Paris could ever be the same again. She had thought it was the city that had given her the happiness, she'd never been so wrong.

_**And I'm surrounded by**__**  
**__**A million people I**__**  
**__**Still feel all alone**__**  
**__**Oh, let me go home**__**  
**__**Oh, I miss you, you know**_

The sun had long set as she shifted for the umpteenth time in her chair. She swirled her wrist to ease the cramp that had developed before returning her pen to the paper to sign yet another report. She could feel her eyes closing slightly and knew she would have to stop for coffee if she even considered driving herself home. Her door opened slowly and she looked up as a silver haired head peaked in.

"You're still here?" He asked sounding somewhat confused.

"Yes."

"Shouldn't you have gone home by now?"

"In a bit," she replied, flipping to another case report, the pile that was once Mt. Everest now only resembled Cadillac Mt.

"Come on Jen, you've been here long enough," he coaxed, grabbing her brief case, she felt her heart clench before remembering that she had closed it and there was no way he could see inside. _Unless he developed X-Ray vision_, which given her subject she wouldn't put past him.

"I'll go home soon, I've just got…" she yawned, she'd tried to hide it but it slipped out. He had an oddly amused smile.

"It'll be here in the morning," He reminded.

"That's the whole point of doing it now," she countered.

"Jen, you're exhausted, when was the last time you actually slept?" He inquired sounding concerned. She shrugged her shoulders. "Jenny…"

"Oh all right, sheesh, at least I can work from home," she whined. She knew that with him it was just easier to cave and do what she pleased later. She got up grabbing her coat and snatching her briefcase back from him. He walked her down to the elevator.

"You going to be okay to drive?"

"Fine Jethro," she answered.

"Let me take you home?" He asked hesitantly. She really wasn't in the mood to drive, her eyelids feeling like lead weights. She nodded and he led her to the car. She glanced briefly over her shoulder; somehow NCIS always looked official even in the middle of the night.

_**Let me go home**__**  
**__**I've had my run**__**  
**__**Baby, I'm done**__**  
**__**I gotta go home**_

She had leaned her head against the window as he'd driven through the darkened streets of DC out into the suburbs toward her elegant neighborhood. She simply watched the sights as they went flashing by in her vision. He hadn't said anything, but she could feel him every so often looking over at her. This wasn't unusual for them, they often spent time together without speaking, it was however the first time she'd felt so at ease with his silence. The vision of a younger woman leaning over the console in the car to kiss her lover flashed before her eyes and she blinked them to banish the image at least until she could enjoy it in solitude. A few minutes later she felt him nudge her arm slightly.

"Jen, wake up," he called softly. She swatted his hand away, _five more minutes_. "Jenny, Jen you're home." She moved her head off the window and blinked her eyes open, she hadn't meant to fall asleep.

"Thank you for the ride, Jethro," she said tiredly. The green numbers on the dashboard caught her eye; she could've sworn it was only eleven, not one. "You want a cup of coffee or something?"

"It's alright Jen, I think you're falling asleep on your feet."

"Hm hm," she responded, her brain still teetering on the edge of sleep. "You could stay?" Well that woke her up. "Uh…I mean its one, and I have a spare bedroom," she quickly added on. He was tired, but he was not going to admit it to her, and he certainly didn't need the idea of her asleep to conjure up thoughts and memories.

"Come on Jen, I'll walk you to the door," he replied, getting out of the car. He came around and offered her a hand up. She'd gotten out on her own but allowed him to grab her briefcase and walk her to the door. He'd done that numerous times before, though eight years ago the goodbyes usually lasted till good morning, _now is not that time for that_, she scolded herself. He let her open the door to the house and walked her over the threshold.

"You could stay," she repeated. "It seems a little ridiculous for you to drive another half hour."

"Jen…"

"Well whatever you want, good night Jethro. Thank you for the ride," she said. "Coffee's over the stove," she called walking up the stairs. She appeared minutes later, came down the stairs, took the briefcase out of his hands and went back upstairs without a word. She was pretty sure he'd leave, she'd given him two offers and he'd turn her down. _Not so much turned down as warned against, _she reminded herself. She threw her high heels in the closet the jacket following missing the laundry by a foot. She was soon clad in cotton and curled up in her bed and looked at her briefcase sitting right next to her bed.

"Hey Jen," she heard from the stairs. _Sleep foiled again_, she complained internally, slipping out of the covers and grabbing her long fluffy robe. She appeared at the top of the stairs to find him looking at the manila envelope she'd tossed on the table on her way in. _Shit._

"What?"

"This a picture from that conference?" He held up the one solely focused on her, while she was focused elsewhere.

"Uh huh," she sighed tiredly.

"You look a little distracted," he said by way of inquiring what had grasped her attention. She yawned again.

"Place was across from the Bridge," she didn't even have to specify which bridge. Should it be bad that she didn't have to specify which bridge that he would just know instantly?

"Any different?"

"Nope," she replied covering a yawn.

"Walk over it?"

"No…if you're not staying lock the door on the way out," she said moving back down the hallway.

"And if I'm staying?"

"Good night Jethro," she called again this time from her doorway.

"Hey Jen…"

"Jethro, you dragged me out of my office to get sleep and now you won't let me go to sleep!" She snapped. "Oh that…" _Didn't come out right._

"You know someone in Mexico?" She came back to the edge of the stairwell, and spotted an un-mailed letter. _This cannot be happening._ She came down the stairs, and held out her hand for the letter. "Whose it for?"

"No one."

"Uh huh, you're lying."

"Jethro, give me the damn letter." He was wise enough not to cross swords with a tired Jennifer Shepard. She took the envelope and peaked inside, _empty. Empty? But the letter…_ She remembered leaving it on her bed that morning; Naomi would know not to touch it. "Good night Jethro."

She again moved back up the stairs and heard him following slowly. _Guess he's staying._ She slipped into her bedroom closing the door till there was just barely a crack and she snuck a peak through it. He entered the guest bedroom and she knew he'd be asleep in minutes. He had to have been just as exhausted as she was, if he was willingly staying at her house. She closed the door to her bedroom and slid back into bed the photos of the past going back into the side drawer, the bundle of letters going to her nightstand. She'd deal with it in the morning. She shifted to her back and lay staring at the pale ceiling. She really should paint it with all the time she'd spent staring at it lately, or decorate it or something. Surprisingly though she felt her thoughts fading and smiled faintly at the memory of Jethro trudging up her staircase.

_**Let me go home**__**  
**__**It will all be all right**_

"Jen! Jenny!" Her name was being called, in a panic, someone was desperate for her attention but she still kept running. Why?_ What am I running from?_ She felt two hands shaking her slightly. "Jen wake up!"

She came to at this, sat up gasping for breath. She knew she was panicked. It felt like the same high she had when she was shot at the last time, _not pleasant to come down from_, she thought momentarily. It felt difficult to get air into her lungs and she briefly noticed the presence beside her. She couldn't remember the darkness from her nightmare, she couldn't remember what had chased her but it hadn't been pleasant. She knew herself well enough to know she wouldn't be getting anymore sleep tonight.

"Jen," the voice cut in over her adrenaline rushed thoughts and her first thought was how had they ended up in bed together. The memories from earlier finally started to trickle in and she relaxed slightly. "Jen…you okay?"

"Fine, fine sorry Jethro. I…" She paused shaking her head.

"You had a nightmare," he finished.

"Something like that," she agreed glancing at him briefly. He was sitting on the edge of her bed, his hand still holding her arm comfortingly. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"I don't remember it," she informed. "Just a lot of darkness." He focused his intense stare on her and she thought it might be to look for her tell but she knew she wasn't lying. She rubbed her eyes irritated at her sleep again being disturbed. "What time is it?" Maybe it was late enough to actually considering getting up and dressed again.

"A little after two," he said glancing at her digital alarm clock.

"That's it?" She questioned.

"You're not sleeping much these days are you?" He inferred.

"Have a lot on my mind," she mumbled in response. She turned her head to meet his eyes in the darkness she could still see the piercing blue color she loved so much. "You should go back to sleep, I'll be fine."

"You want something to drink? Tea? Water?" he inquired. She smiled faintly. "I could get it for you…"

"I'll be fine," she repeated. "Can I get up now?" He was seated on her covers, basically holding her in. He got up and she slid out, ignoring the fact that he didn't look away right away. She didn't think cotton pajamas were all the attractive but apparently he disagreed, or at least his eyes disagreed. He watched her disappear into the bathroom and heard her run the sink.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it, you were screaming."

"I don't remember it," she replied again. "Probably a good thing, I live alone," he heard the faint mutter. Personally he didn't agree, he hated the thought of her being alone. He glanced around her room, had she redecorated since the last time he'd been there? He wasn't sure, he noticed the stack of envelopes on her nightstand and glanced at them in the faint light. They hadn't been mailed, and he was sure the stamps were too old to make them current. He glanced at the return address to see who they were from _Cairo, Egypt_._Must be a letter she never mailed, then why keep it? _ He glanced at the address it was supposed to have been sent to, he knew that address,_ why would she have been sending me a letter from Cairo?_ It didn't make a whole lot of sense to him and he resisted reading the words inside. Instead he picked up the bundle and thumbed through the others. They were all from her, from various countries and all were addressed to his house in Washington. He thought about the envelope he'd found downstairs addressed to Mexico, he hadn't checked the address, just the city and country, but he was willing to bet it was Franks placed. So question one, why did she have all these letters she had obviously never mailed? Question two, why had she even written them? And finally question three, what did they say?

He placed the bundle back, exactly as he'd found it and glanced over the bed, it looked barely slept in. He could still hear the water running from the sink and heard a glass being filled. He glanced around her room again, his eyes falling to the end of the bed where a piece of paper rested ever so innocently. He glanced behind him,_still in the bathroom_. He picked up the piece of unlined paper with her familiar script and read his name at the top. The date placed it somewhere in the summer he'd been 'retired' and so he assumed this was the letter that never made it to Mexico. It was hesitant at the beginning, a little bit teasing, with a comment about emails and such, before getting a bit deeper. She'd written about his team, how they were coping, she'd written about the weather and commented that it must be so much nicer there, and the last was a plea. _Come home soon Jethro, we_…the we was scratched out. _I miss you, Love, Jen._

"Jethro you should really just go back to sleep, I'm…" she stopped mid sentence as she came out of the bathroom and froze. She glanced from her nightstand to the piece of paper in his hand, completely bypassing his own gaze. "I'm fine."

So she was going to ignore the fact that he'd most likely read something she had never intended for him to see. That wasn't like her at all,_ but perhaps she doesn't know it's a letter._ That made even less sense though, she was incredibly observant.

"Jen."  
"Jethro, go back to sleep," she said her voice sounding tired; she sat down on the edge of her bed apparently waiting for him to leave. Instead he sat down next to her and handed her the letter. She simply took it and tossed it in the drawer.

"You wrote love."

"Did I?" She inquired. Clearly he was not going to let this one go. "Would you like to read them all to use them against me or just to have some amusement?" He'd forgotten that she could become irritated on lack of sleep.

"Don't fall back asleep on me," he warned getting up and going back into the hall. She heard him go into the guest bedroom and he reappeared a minute later with an envelope of his own. "I didn't think Abby gave this to you."  
"What is it?"

"A letter."

"Addressed to me?"

"Abby was supposed to track you down and give it to you if anything happened, I think she was a little distracted during the explosion and since you were right there, I guess she figured that I wouldn't want you to read it unless I was actually gone," he explained. It wasn't uncommon for agents to write a letter to their friends and partners in the case of an emergency. She opened the un-mailed letter and pulled out the unlined paper. She read the date.

"This is the night after Kate died," she said. He nodded and she read the letter, an apology, the pain he experience from losing an agent, he asked her what she'd been doing, if she was happy, how her team was doing. He wrote of his new team, how she would have loved to meet Kate. Then there was a plea, the same she had used, _I know why you couldn't come with me then, but when you're ready come home Jen, I miss you. _

"There are events which make us rethink everything we've done. I thought maybe if I'd done things differently Kate would still be alive, or perhaps it might have been worse and it would have been you there instead of Kate. I hated that thought, but I…I looked up your status that night just to make sure. It didn't say much, but then again the next day you became Director."

"I would have much rather waited until you needed something, but Morrow thought I could talk some sense into you. I tried to get just a normal meeting, but he insisted on the cloak and dagger."

"You hadn't changed at least in appearance."

"But I wasn't the Jenny you remembered."

"I didn't think so at first," he agreed.

"What changed your mind?"

"You didn't file the retirement papers, although there was one time…"

"When?"

"When Ziva and Tony were undercover, Positano ring a bell." She smirked, that conversation had been one of her more pleasant memories.

_"Yea well you never could pace yourself very well." She'd taken off her glasses in mild surprise. She had no illusions of what he was thinking about._

_"I have one word for you Jethro."_

_"Hm?"_

_"Positano."_

_"Oh come on, that was a week after I took a bullet," he protested._

_"Uh huh," she'd agreed with mild sarcasm. _

They were both silently lost in their thoughts. The multiple times he'd brought her dinner, the few times he'd given her advice, they were all reminders how he had been with her. The fights were also reminders; grant it when they'd been partners they made up, but as Director and Agent the fights tended to linger. They would go home to their lonely houses and she more often then not tended to break a coffee mug or two.

"That seems like such a long time ago," she sighed. She didn't feel like that woman either, all of these memories seemed like they belonged to someone else.

"I suppose," he agreed. She glanced over at him, his eyes focused on her carpeting. She shifted her gaze to the letters on her nightstand to the bare spot on the top next to the lamp, which had once held a photo of them. The letter in her hand was three years old and yet he was sitting beside her now.

"You think it's too late?" She asked hesitantly.

"Too late for what?"

"I spent five days in Paris, and from the moment I got there, all I wanted to do was leave, all I wanted to do was come home, and then I got back and realized I wasn't home either. This house used to be my home, it used to have such memories, now I'd rather spend my nights in the office," she explained. "I wonder if it's too late to ever find a way back home."

"It's never to late," he assured.

"I thought that once," she replied. "Then it seemed everything had changed again." He considered that she might be thinking of Hollis, and was surprised at how accepting she was. It would have been good to know, but he had long since concluded that while he and Hollis might have been well matched and he had cared for her it wasn't going to be enough to make a commitment that she deserved. Hollis had come close to Jen, very close, but it wasn't fair to compare one woman to another, she deserved unconditional love, something he wasn't sure he could give anymore, since his heart hadn't been his for a long time.

"Nothing's changed Jen."

"I…" She didn't know what to say. He put his hand on top of the one resting on her thigh and squeezed it lightly.

"Come home Jen."

"I can't, not until you decided to," she replied honestly.

"I'm here aren't I?" he responded with a gentle grin. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and followed the curve of her chin with his finger. "Come home Jen."

He turned her head toward his and placed a light kiss on her cheek. He pulled back to meet her sparkling green eyes and he watched the years fade from her as he smile brightened. She reached her hands up and pulled him into a deeper kiss. He wasn't surprised that he kisses made him feel as giddy as a teenager, that all the problems in the world seemed to have a solution as long as she kept kissing him. He wasn't at all surprised by that, nor was she shocked, as her heart accelerated to pace it hadn't been to in awhile. That her worries were non-existent as he tightened his hold on her and ran his fingers through her hair. The kiss turned into light butterfly touches of lips brushing lips and noses rubbing affectionately. Her fingers lightly ran over his face outlining the faint smile he was giving her.

"Hey," he whispered. "Welcome home." She giggled at that, a sound he hadn't heard in years and a sound he decided was among his favorite sounds.

"It's good to be home," she replied just as quietly. Her arms shifted to around his neck, her hand lightly stroking his neck. "Stay?"

"Don't hog the sheets," he warned. She placed her letter on the nightstand and he lay down beside her, wrapping his arms around her. She turned her head to catch a faint good night kiss that foreshadowed more kisses and all sorts of things they were simply too tired to even attempt. Both were completely oblivious to the sun peaking through the curtains. She switched off her alarm and he shut off both their phones.

"Isn't that breaking rule number three?"

"They'll think it's a test," he assured wrapping his arms around her. He'd missed this, the way her curves fit against him, the tiny little blip in her breathing before it would begin to even out as she fell asleep. The little smile that always stayed on her lips as she dreamed peacefully.

"It's good to be home," she sighed snuggling into his arms. She felt him nod his head in agreement before he let out a small yawn the only sign he was about to fall asleep. She pressed a kiss to his neck before resettling her head, she didn't have to look to know he had a grin as his mind let sleep take him over. She briefly wondered if she looked like any of the woman in the photos she had stashed in her drawer. She certainly hoped so. _Finally Home_…

_**I'll be home tonight**__**  
**__**I'm coming back home**_

**-END-**


	6. Anything You Can Do

**Title: Anything You Can Do…**

**Rating: K **

**Disclaimer: Song and lyrics from Annie Get Your Gun, based on the Bernadette Peters and Tom Whoplat version. **

**Spoilers: Eh…anything is fair game.**

**Summary: Tony and Ziva's argument leads to a challenge.**

**Dedicated to Elflordsmistress...its not quite fluff, but it gets there I even threw Todd in. **

**_Author's Note: This doesn't include all the lyrics but it follows the song along pretty well, a few lyrics are thrown in. I hope you all know I have this song stuck in my head after doing this. _**

* * *

It was a rather quiet morning, as mornings went in NCIS. The teams were up to their usual antics as in most of the teams doing paper work or twiddling their thumbs waiting for a case, and Agent Gibbs' team was bickering. It wasn't even the whole team, just the very Special Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo, and Officer Ziva David of Mossad. Now the other NCIS agents were hesitant to argue with Ziva, they didn't want to die, but Tony had no problem with it, long as the Boss wasn't around. The Boss of course was not the Director of NCIS but rather Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who was getting a refill on the coffee. The Director of NCIS, Jennifer Shepard was in MTAC, or somewhere on the second floor where she usually was, unless she was fighting with Agent Gibbs. However this fight brought her out of her office, because she could not believe that her former partner would not want a say in this. 

"Gibbs."

"No way, only Jenny."

"No."  
"Yes!" Ziva protested. "McGee?"

"Uh…Both?" The 'Probie' Agent McGee tried not to take sides, with Tony it would result in more teasing if he didn't but with Ziva it might result in death if he didn't side with her.

"C'mon McGeek, Director or Gibbs?" McGee again tried to get out of it, but was stopped by the appearance of black pigtails.

"What's the question?" Abby Scuito, Forensic scientist extraordinaire inquired.

"Who would be able to empty their clip faster, Gibbs or the Director?"

"Don't they empty at the same rate?" Abby questioned.

"C'mon Abbs, personal opinion?"

"I dunno, the Director does have better eyesight, but Gibbs was a Marine," Abby answered. Ziva gave a brief glare, but it turned smile as she spotted the redhead in question coming down the stairs, unfortunately she didn't notice Tony's smile as Gibbs stepped off the elevator, coffee in hand.

_**Anything you can do,  
I can do better.  
I can do anything  
Better than you.**_

"Shall we not ask?" Ziva suggested. "Director."

"Ziva?" Jenny stopped by her friend.

"Who has better reaction time, you or Gibbs?"

"Not her," Gibbs muttered, Jenny raised her eyebrow at him in mock annoyance.

"Oh really?" She taunted. He caught the mischievous glint in her green eyes and could only imagine what she was thinking about it.

"Sorry Jen," Gibbs said sticking with his theory. "Ask DiNozzo."

"DiNozzo is a loyal St. Bernard."

"McGee?"

"Uh Boss?"

"Ziva?" Jenny demanded.

"You of course, Director," Ziva replied immediately.

"Abby?" Gibbs inquired.

"Uh…sorry Gibbs, the Director wins, its just a fact of science," Abby defended.

"Your favorite voted for me," Jenny bragged.

"Tie breaker?"

"Ducky?"

"DiNozzo, get Ducky on the line."

"No need Jethro, what's with the fussing, the whole building is gossiping away," Ducky informed. The elder Scotsman came towards them and noticed the gender division. _Oh dear, not a gender dispute. _

"Better reaction time, me or the Director?"

"Well based on fit reports and…"

"Ducky?" Jenny demanded.

"It's hard to say, you're both equally matched, but I'm sure you both could do what ever you set your minds too, I wouldn't be surprised if the Director could beat you Jethro." Jenny smiled radiantly at the one. _Take that Gibbs._

"See Tony, anything Gibbs can do, Jenny does better," Ziva whispered.

"Ha!" Both Tony and Gibbs exclaimed.

_**Anything you can be  
I can be greater.  
Sooner or later,  
I'm greater than you.  
**_

Jenny glared at Gibbs and the two began their silent starring match. The rest of the team could feel the tension rising. Whatever happened next they were so not going to miss. Even Ducky was perhaps a little bit curious at what this unusual competitiveness would lead to.

"Jenny is the Director, Gibbs is only Senior Field Agent," Abby remarked to McGee still focused on the starring match.

"Only cause he wouldn't want to be Director," McGee responded.

"Please, Gibbs didn't last while Jenny was in Europe," Ziva reminded.

"Only because he's better at investigating than she is and so his curiosity took hold, kinda like Peter Pan," Tony argued.

"Please, he couldn't walk in Jenny's heels if he tried," Ziva laughed.

"Children," Ducky hushed as Jenny and Gibbs continued the starring contest going up the stairs and beginning their first argument of the day.

"You forget who the Director is Jethro," Jenny said.

"Oh come on, that hardly counts."

"Hardy counts? You couldn't handle this job."

"I wouldn't need the job, I have ten times the contacts."

"Because you're older then me?" She inquired innocently. "At the end of the day, I'm still Director."

"Fine one round, best person wins?"

"At the range?"

"Of course."

"You're on, two weapons, one your choice, one mine," Jenny bargained.

"Deal."

"Cynthia, I'm taking the afternoon," Jenny said to her assistant passing her on the way into her office.

"Of course Director," the younger woman responded surprised. She couldn't have been more surprised when Jenny emerged fastening her holster to her pants, gun included and following Agent Gibbs back down the stairs. _She finally executing him?_

The team watched as Gibbs and the Director both came back down the stairs. Jenny continued to the elevator while Gibbs stopped by his desk grabbing his gun. The team watched with rapt fascination as they entered the far elevator and hit the floor for the shooting range. It was an eerie silence that descended the squad room as the doors closed and then as if a match had been lit the team ran for the stairs, Ducky trailing slowly behind.

"This is going to be good," Tony commented sliding into a chair in the front row of the viewing window over the range. Ziva sat down beside him, Abby, McGee and Ducky filling in the remaining chairs.

"If they don't shoot each other."

"Bets?" Abby inquired.

"Gibbs," Tony and McGee agreed.

"Good we'll be on the Director, Ducky?"

"The gun will be Gibbs, the bow and arrow, the Director."

"Anyone got popcorn?" They settled into watch as Jenny and Gibbs began firing rounds simultaneous at their targets. "Gotta give her points for doing it in heels."

_**I can shoot a partridge  
With a single cartridge.  
I can get a sparrow  
With a bow and arrow.**_

The rounds were expelled, the arrows used up and the two made their way over to check their targets, unaware of the audience watching rapidly above. They were shocked, everyone knew the Director could shoot a gun, after all she had killed a suspect in a moving car, but what she could do with an arrow, well Tony was very glad they didn't use them anymore. The team leaned against the glance trying to see what they were saying.

"Not bad Jen, little scattered," Gibbs mocked starring at her target.

"Oh well Jethro, my compliments on your archery skill," Jenny shot back as she starred at his target, most of the arrows had fallen short of their mark and one and managed to hit the outspread arm. "Think you need to get your eyes checked."

"Alright so we tie," Gibbs said.

"I don't think so, you started this, what shall we do next?"

"Weirdest thing you've ever eaten?"

"Least amount of food to survive on."

"Bread and Cheese."

"And only on that?"

"Yep," Gibbs stated proudly.

"Rat food," she remarked.

"Highest pitch?"

"I win by default."

"Oh really?"

"I'm a girl Jethro," she responded.

"I had noticed," he smirked. She hit him on the arm.

"Women have naturally higher voices, Julie Andrews ring a bell?"

"Who?"

"Ask DiNozzo," Jenny replied holstering her weapon. The two went back toward the elevator. Jenny swore she heard something. "What was that?"

"Ha, I can speak softer, you can't hear." She rolled her eyes.

"That the best you got?" She tossed back.

_**I can drink my liquor  
Faster than a flicker.  
I can drink it quicker  
And get even sicker!  
**_

He took a large gulp of his coffee and she swiped it out of his hands when he was done. She took an even faster gulp and then promptly turned a nice green to match her eyes. Her face had the most adorable look of disgust Gibbs had ever seen._Teach her to steal my coffee._

"That stuff is tar!" She coughed.

"No appreciation," he sighed.

"That's not coffee…that's worse then paint remover," she coughed again. "Awful taste."

"What next?" He inquired once she turned back to her faint snowy pink color.

"I don't know, dumbest thing…" She paused. "But wait you would win that one."

"Hey!" The elevator doors opening and the team spilling out cut off his retort.

"Uh hi Boss, Director," Tony greeted trying to sound innocent. Gibbs didn't buy it. WHACK. "Sorry Boss…uh Abby was looking for you."

"And it took all of you to come find me?"

"I asked them too," Abby defended knowing it was time to use her status as favorite. "I didn't want to get caught in the uh…resolution of the fight," Abby explained glancing from both of them.

"What is it Abby?"

"Oh well uh…"

"We just wanted to let the Director know that I managed to pick the lock off the safe she relocked. I don't know why you just didn't do it yourself Director?" Ziva said saving Abby's response.

"Didn't want to chip the nail polish," Jenny joked. "Suppose its useless now."

"Hey there you go, things you broke into," Gibbs announced.

"And never being caught?"

"I haven't," Gibbs declared, again Jenny turned to face him, surprise evident in her eyes.

"Oh really, I do remember something about a boat and Ducky correct me if I'm wrong but I could have sworn I was the one breaking you out of jail."

"She has a point, although technically you both were caught so…"

"Ducky," Gibbs and Jen both warned this time glaring at the elder doctor. He simply smiled_, today is certainly getting better, Mother would love to watch this_. Jenny however remembered something out of this, _black books, even with all the exes mine's still bigger and I haven't even slept with a twentieth of them._

_**Any note you can hold  
I can hold longer.  
I can hold any note  
Longer than you.  
**_

"Black books," Jenny said. It was Tony and McGee's turn to stare_, she can't be serious_, they both thought.

"One night, same bar," Gibbs challenged.

"Done," She agreed. "Ziva, Abby with me." Abby hesitated but Ziva grabbed her arm to follow Jenny.

"Wait a minute you don't get their help," Gibbs protested.

"Help? The only thing I need their help with is keeping count," She replied sweetly. "Besides Jethro, you have one more then me, and a celebrity." McGee gulped.

"DiNozzo!"

"Yea Boss?"

"Go play James Bond will you," Gibbs said.

"On it Boss."

"Elflord, you're going out tonight," Gibbs commanded, McGee gulped again.

"Jethro, you can't interfere with her and she can't interfere with you," Ducky said.

"Like she'll follow that rule."

"I'll referee," Ducky agreed,_ after all it won't last long._ _Sometime I wish I could smack that boy like he does DiNozzo_.

Jenny led Ziva and Abby back to her office and gestured for them both to sit. She then switched her video monitors to the security cameras and watched Gibbs issue orders to the other two, Ducky having an amused smile on his face.

"I can't believe I'm helping with this," Abby sighed.

"Your reluctance is noted and sympathized with," Jenny replied. "But he's not going to win."

"Jenny, why do you need us to come along?" Ziva questioned.

"You'll have your purposes. Now why don't you two girls go get yourselves a new dress," Jenny said handing Ziva her credit card. "My treat."

"Uh, Don't you need a dress, Director?" Abby asked.

"I have just the thing, don't worry," Jenny assured. The two girls shrugged and plans were made to meet at the Director's house around five to get ready. "Oh and Abby." The young Goth turned back. "Don't worry about the tattoos."

Gibbs watched the two girls leave, gossiping about something, Abby looking more pleased then usual. He decided to lay out the 'rules' for this little event, and as he went through them on his way up the stairs he realized this had to be among the dumbest things he'd ever done. He went past Cynthia the usual protest coming from the younger woman and entered Jenny's office without knocking. She was sitting at her desk, looking every inch the Director; glasses perched on her nose and glanced up at him as he leaned over her desk.

"Something I can help you with Agent Gibbs?"

"Rules."

"It is better to ask forgiveness then seek permission?" She quoted back.

"Cute Jen, real cute, rules about tonight. Staring with you can't bribe Ziva and Abby."

"As if you're not already bribing McGee and Tony."

"I don't have to, besides shouldn't you be out shopping with them?"

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not that interested in winning. I'll just throw on something from my closet." He raised an eyebrow at this; he knew he should be concerned. She loved shopping and it wasn't like she couldn't use the clothes to her advantage.

"So about the rules," he continued going back to the subject at hand.

"Ah…well you can't interfere with me and I won't interfere with you."

"How long?"

"First one to reach fifty or until one of us forfeits, it won't be me."

"You sound very confident Director," Gibbs remarked.

"I give it two hours before you're bored." _Or irritated._

"I give it one before you get tired." _Or jealous. _

"Fine, seven at the hotel?"  
"See you then." He retreated from her office; sure that victory would never be so good.

-----

Five o'clock came and Jenny answered the door promptly to Ziva and Abby. She was still in her work clothes and each of the girls held a dress bag in one hand. Ziva handed back the credit card and the three went into the kitchen for a coffee and soda for Abby.

"So what are the rules?" Abby asked.

"First one to reach fifty numbers wins, unless the other forfeits but interfering."

"So when Tony comes over…" Ziva began.

"No, Tony and McGee were not included in the rules, nor were you two, which works perfectly."

"How does that work?"

"McGee's a celebrity, all the women will be fawning over him, especially where were going, so Abby you may have to interfere," Jenny said.

"But…"

"I'll buy you a Caff-Pow machine," Jenny bribed and Abby nodded. She could spend five minutes flirting if it meant Caff-Pows for eternity. "And Ziva, Tony will no doubt try to make a move…just try not to do anything extreme."

"Not a problem," Ziva assured._This is going to be fun._ "Now about this dress that your wearing, Abby and I saw lots of nice ones are you sure…"

"Trust me I have the perfect outfit in mind." They headed up the stairs to get ready; Jenny could hear the other two guessing about the dress. She smirked and pulled the dress out of her closet. She was going to enjoy tonight. A half hour later, Ziva knocked on her bedroom door.

"Jenny you almost ready, we're dying from knowing."

"Dying of cursorily," Abby corrected sounding equally whiny.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She opened the bedroom door and found the two leaning against the wall in the hallway. Ziva in a full-length black satin halter dress, Abby in a very Marylyn Monroe style black halter. "Very nice…. well?" She turned for them so they could see the whole dress. A simple black one that fell just above her knee with a modest front v-neck very thin straps and a very low back.

"I approve," Ziva said, Abby nodded and the two quickly moved down the stairs to the town car waiting for them. Once settled in the car they decided on a plan of action. Ziva and Abby would wait by the entrance for the men and Jenny would enter later from the side, she said she'd didn't want to attract a crowd but Ziva was positive it was a distraction tactic._I could have sworn I saw it one of Tony's movies._

-----

Tony and McGee pulled up almost simultaneously, McGee in his Porsche and Tony in the red mustang. The two got out straightened their coats, tossed the keys to the valet and walked up the steps.

"Probie, you clean up nice."

"Tony it's Thom remember?"

"I still cant' believe you wrote a book and you put me in it."

"Tony its fiction," McGee defended.

"Keep telling yourself that. So whatever happens to Colonel Lamb?"

"Tony…" McGee trailed off as an Aston Martin pulled up. "Tony isn't that…"

"The Bond Car, on my god, and…Gibbs…Gibbs has a bond car? NO!" Tony felt his heart speed up to a ridiculous pace. How could the Boss have the car he'd wanted all his life? "Boss?"

"DiNozzo what are you staring at?" Gibbs questioned as he got on in a dashing black suit with a white collared shirt underneath.

"Boss…it's…" Gibbs noticed Tony's longing at the car and smirked.

"Belongs to a friend, let me borrow it."

"I didn't know you had friend's Boss." Tony immediately glanced up_, way to go DiNozzo _and he braced himself for the head slap. It was more just a tap this time.

"So where are they?"

"Haven't seen them, Boss," Tony replied as they turned to go in, Tony and McGee following Gibbs. McGee was asked by the doorman to sign a napkin for him. "Probie…"

"Fame pays," McGee responded.

"Today Elflord," Gibbs chastised. He looked around the room and spotted Ducky at a corner table, Ziva and Abby sitting on either side of him. The three walked over. "She chicken out?"

"Hardly, she's fixing her hair," Ziva replied. All four men rolled their eyes. "We'll take that half of the room, you guys can have the other. It's too bad you're a little late, she wanted it to be fair so she had to turn down five numbers already."

Gibbs was not jealous. He wasn't the jealous type, but he really, really didn't like that piece of information. He glanced over the room again trying to spot his old partner and came up empty again. The room had two bars one along each wall with some tables in the middle. It was a good place to come for a night of drinks, and would be perfect for this little game. _I still can't believe I agreed to this_. He went over to one of the bars sat down on the stool, McGee and Tony posing themselves next to him and ordered bourbon.

"It starts as soon as she shows, got it DiNozzo?"

"On it Boss, Ziva and Abby are sitting at the other bar, what do girls talk about anyway?"

"You don't want to know," McGee responded having the unfortunate privilege of once overhearing a conversation between Abby and Kate. "Seven o'clock on the dot Boss."

"Maybe she's late?"

"They said she was already…" McGee faded off glancing at the entrance right next to the end of the bar. He nudged Tony, who immediately glanced over and froze. _That should be illegal._

"Uh Boss," Tony's lack of speechlessness suggested a blonde had walked by but when he glanced up he felt his mouth go dry. _That's not fair._

Jennifer Shepard was a beautiful woman to begin with, but that dress held rather fond memories, and he knew what she could possibly be wearing underneath it. She apparently hadn't noticed them because she walked straight by and moved over to Abby and Ziva sliding on a stool between the two women. Unfortunately her little entrance had been anything but discrete as more then a few gentlemen eyes had followed her across the room. She turned her head toward Ziva as she whispered something and smiled teasingly before ordering herself a drink.

"Very Vesper Lynd," Tony remarked once he regained his speech ability.

"Who?" Gibbs inquired.

"Bond Girl Boss, Casino Royale? Walks in to distract the bad guys from their poker game but walks in from the wrong side and ends up distracting Bond. She couldn't have done it better."

"DiNozzo."

"Yea Boss?"

"Go flirt with someone, not Ziva."

"On it Boss." Tony casually maneuvered his way down the bar to flirt with a young blonde who couldn't have been more then twenty-three. Already women were coming over to him; he'd have no trouble getting fifty names before she did.

-----

"Well?"

"Tony's jaw dropped," Ziva informed.

"McGee looked like he was about to pass out."

"And Gibbs?"  
"Well he keeps looking over here," Abby said glancing out of the corner of her eye.

"Good," Jenny said. "Well let's start shall we?"

"Jenny!" She turned her head and froze. _Great…Just fucking great. _

"Ziva, Abby, take a walk." The two women slid off their stools and went toward Ducky's table, Ziva glancing over her shoulder.

"Isn't' that…"

"Dr. Todd Gelfand, oh yes," Ziva informed sitting down beside Ducky.

"I don't believe he'll count," Abby said.

"Why not?"

"The red head next to him."

Jenny had watched the two leave before turning her attention back to the man beside her smiling sweetly.

"Jenny what a surprise to run into you here, waiting for someone?"

"Something like that, how are you Todd?"

"Doing well, and yourself?"

"Oh just fine," she assured falsely.

"Todd, are we late?" Jenny froze as she heard the voice beside the man. "Jenny," the woman's tone lost all its previous niceness.

"Diane."

"You two know each other?" Todd questioned looking mildly concerned.

"You could say that," Diane answered. "Where are your watch dogs, Director?"

"Over there," Jenny pointed to where Gibbs was sitting. "How's Emily?"

"Ah…so you're Aunt Jenny, should've known. You don't mind if I stop and say hello Todd, we all go way back," the woman said.

"No, of course not," Todd said staying seated next to Jenny. He watched his date meander her way over to a silver haired gentleman. "Is that Agent Gibbs?"

"Yes, like Diane said, we all go way back," Jenny explained. She didn't want to be the one to explain in what capacity. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to notice Gibbs looking at her inclining his head slightly as if to say he'd handle it.

---

"Boss, red head approaching." Gibbs turned to look and froze.

"DiNozzo go for a walk, take your friend here with you." The two younger men scurried away both knowing Rule 38 very well, _never interrupt Gibbs when he's talking to a redhead. _

"Jethro."

"Diane, what a surprise."

"I should say so, I just ran into your Jenny, apparently she's friends with my date."

"Let me guess someone from the CIA?"

"A doctor actually, Todd Gelfand."

"She should know him, he was my doctor."

"Oh I see," Diane remarked clearly she had other ideas about how they knew each other. "She's certainly still lovely, you enjoying her date looking?"

"Diane…"

"Oh fine, fine, I'll leave her out of it, innocent girl that she is. Besides Emily's also fond of her." This was news to Gibbs but he ignored it as the doctor from his coma approached.

"Agent Gibbs."

"Doctor."

"Jenny was just telling me you made a full recovery, I'm glad to hear it."

"That's Jenny for you," Gibbs remarked idly. Diane did not want to have another go with all the information this was bound to bring up.

"Well Todd we should get going, we'll lose our reservation otherwise," Diane skillfully led the Doctor away and Tony and McGee came right back over, bringing a few women along with them. Gibbs glanced over at Jenny who was now talking to another gentleman, Abby and Ziva sitting one side of her, Ziva every so often glancing around. He then refocused his attention on the women arriving and noticed DiNozzo keeping track of all the tallies, _Guess he and McGee and arguing over it now._

"Boss she's up to ten," DiNozzo informed about twenty minutes later. Gibbs had seven numbers. "Make that eleven."

Gibbs refocused himself and began to chat to the women, McGee had brought over. The minute they had found out he had driven the Aston Martin he had become quite popular. Gradually more and more women came over to get McGee's autograph and McGee would then introduce Gibbs and by default they would talk to him, more then likely as a way to get close to McGee but he didn't care, it was all about the numbers.

Jenny however could spot what he was doing a mile away. She knew he wasn't above using his team to help him win this, but she had few tricks of her own. The dress had been the first one, and she knew it was still flitting around the back of his mind because every so often he'd turn to look at her. She hadn't turn yet, Ziva was keeping her well informed and she decided it was time for her next trick.

"Abby," Jenny called the younger girl who was nursing a martini. The men had been all over Ziva but most were too old for the younger one.

"Yes?" Jenny slid the emerald ring that had been on her finger off and handed it to Ziva, who nodded in understanding.

"Why don't you go talk to McGee, I'm sure he would love to be saved from the harpies and teenage girls," Jenny suggested. Ziva slid off the stool to stand beside the younger women, grabbing her left hand. "And make sure to be extra sweet." Ziva slid the ring on Abby's left hand.

"But…"

"Abby he's talking to a blonde," Ziva said. "He's turning into Tony, you have to go put a stop to it."

"Gibbs is so going to kill me."

"You leave Gibbs to me," Jenny warned.

"How come this never ends well for the kids?" She asked Ziva as she walked off. Ziva slid back on the stool beside Jenny and watched the younger woman's progress.

"You have to see this," she whispered to Jenny, who turned with her drink to meet a Gibbs glare across the room. She raised her drink in mock salute and took a sip. This is was way to easy.

Abby couldn't believe what she'd been asked to do. She had thought the dress would be enough to get Jenny to win by default, but apparently not. She had to go separate the celebrity, which would in turn take the women away._ Or it could have them focus on the next best thing, this could totally back fire on her_. She also knew Gibbs wouldn't just take this lying down, he'd send DiNozzo in to screw everything up and he would of course focus in on Ziva. _Leaving Jenny alone…and its so much easier for a single woman to get numbers when the men think she's not only single but also all her friends are taken and therefore she might be in the mood to start something. Damn she's good, _Abby thought. Gibbs was about to be played and he had no idea. She sucked in a deep breath and plastered a sweet smile on to her face and walked over to the bar. She noticed Tony following her every step but she was sure he thought she was just delivering a message.

"Timmy," she said in quiet sultry voice. McGee shot straight up.

"Abb…Abby," he greeted.

"Are you done talking with your friends, I was hoping we could go soon," Abby explained softly, looking every inch the sweet adorable girlfriend.

"Uh…sure, um yea, of course." McGee stuttered. Abby placed her left hand on his shoulder and leaned over kissing his cheek.

"Thanks Timmy!" She looped her arm through his and led him off toward Ducky's table. Tony watching them retreat, with a classic confused look.

"Boss…did they just break Rule 12?"

"She used Abby."

"The Director?"

"No, Ziva. Of course the Director."

"But Boss, the ring!"

"It's the Director's, she took it off and had Ziva put it on Abby's hand."

"But…she can't interfere."

"She didn't, Abby did." There was a pause as a few other women came over and sat down near the two men. "Tony, this movie you were talking about, what does Bond do?"

"Kisses her as payback," Tony informed.

"Well why don't you play Bond," Gibbs suggested gesturing toward Ziva.

"Uh Boss…"

"Problem DiNozzo?"

"She could kill me."

"She won't," Gibbs assured. "One kiss."

"Not a problem, Boss." Tony stalked off across the room, a man on a mission. _This'll be good. _Gibbs turned to focus and watched with amusement as Tony came over to the two women said something to the Director and the turned and kissed Ziva. _Bond would be very proud, Tony, very proud._ He watched Jenny's eyes go slightly wide and she turned to meet his gaze, he saluted her this time and she inclined her head._Take that Jen, _and then she did it. She smiled the smile he knew very, very well. The one that brought back lots of memories, of Paris, of Serbia, of Positano, of Marseille, the one that generally resulted in his mouth going dry as it was this very instant. She turned her head back to the bar, and the smile faded into her normal happy one.

Tony had by then walked away but he didn't make it very far. Ziva caught up to him and dragged him off toward the table where Ducky, McGee and Abby were seated. She forced him to sit and sat down beside him making sure he could feel her annoyance. Ducky simply chuckled; the poor children had no idea what they'd been set in the middle of.

"Looks like the plan back burned," Ziva sighed to Abby.

"Its back fired sweet cheeks," Tony corrected and received another glare.

"I don't think it did, I think Gibbs fell into her trap," Abby informed.

"Come on, Gibbs would never fall into a trap."

"Well he just did," Abby said.

"How?" McGee questioned. "Tony countered you."

"Exactly as she wanted," Abby explained. Ziva looked toward the Director and smirked there were easily ten men lingering near her.

"You left to get McGee out of the way, and then Gibbs sent Tony to get me out of the way, and she knew he would retaliate thus leaving her alone and making it easier for a guy to come over. Do you think he knows?"

"Course he knows Zee-vah, he's probably figured it all out! We won't be here much longer."

"No we most certainly will not," Ducky agreed.

"You can't honestly think that Gibbs is going to win, Jenny only need ten more numbers," Ziva announced.

"Gibbs only needed twelve."

"No, its not that," Ducky said.

"Then what?" Abby questioned.

"Gibbs is about to forfeit," Ziva answered watching their boss.

"No way!" Tony protested. "So not happening."

"Tony she might be right, that's William Skinner from the Chimera," McGee said pointing at the man trying to cozy up to the Director. Tony glanced from Gibbs to Jenny multiple times. Gibbs seemed oblivious talking to some brunette, except the brunette got up and met up with a friend. He watched as Gibbs turned to look over at the director, and saw the flash of fire._Uh oh…_The Director had crossed one leg over the other her one foot dangling her heel. Something in what she had done had gotten Gibbs attention.

"Ziva, did she buy herself a new dress?" Tony inquired.

"No, said she was just going to grab something from her closet. It's defiantly an older style."

"Like eight years old?" Tony questioned.

"Easily," McGee agreed and then sighed as he could see where Tony was going with this.

"I do remember her wearing a dress very similar to that one," Ducky added. "I was supposed to be their contact while they were undercover."

_**I can jump a hurdle.  
I can wear a girdle.  
I can knit a sweater.  
I can fill it better!  
**_

"Ducky, she's almost to fifty names."

"Trust me she won't make it," Ducky reassured Abby.

"That dress should be a sin," Tony muttered under his breath. "Either that or Gibbs has ice water in his veins."

"Tony!" Ziva scolded surprised.

"What?" Tony protested. "This is incredibly juvenile, she's going to win, Gibbs isn't going to take it lightly and they'll probably go duke it out, which means more fights to listen to and then who knows they're run five miles and kill each other or something," Tony complained.

"This from the man who follows Bond like a guide book."

"At least I don't still play computer games Elflord!"

"He is right," Ziva agreed suddenly as if struck by a thought. "They are both equally good at what they because of who they are, they each have their own strengths."

"My dear, I couldn't have said it better."

"So what happens when the figure that out?" Abby questioned.

"We cover…"

"Uh oh," Ziva cursed. The rest of the team glanced at her; she had her eyes focused on the bar where Jenny was sitting, another man sliding a drink in front of her.

"What's wrong?" Abby asked.

"McGee, get her mic up and running," Ziva ordered. Tony looked at her in surprise.

"You wired the director?"

"Of course, McGee?"

"She's greeted the man, called him Senator."

"Oh…" Tony gasped. "Knew I'd seen him somewhere, that's Senator Sommers. I didn't know they were…friends."

"They aren't anymore," Ziva assured. She made to get up to go rescue her friend when the strangest of all things happened. Ducky reached out and held her in place. Tony and McGee were sure the good doctor had a death wish.

"Give it a minute," Ducky suggested. Ziva reluctantly sat down but perched on the edge of her chair. If the man so much as reached out to touch her Ziva would be on her feet. Abby nudged her thirty seconds later and pointed in Gibbs' direction. He'd left and was almost half way across the room.

"He's forfeiting?" Tony gasped seeing what was happening.

"She's still talking to the Senator but there's another guy there too, says he was a marine," McGee informed.

"Cue Gibbs," Abby called as they watched their Boss come up behind the Director, his hand running over her almost bare shoulders.

"Did he…" Tony paused watching closely. "McGee put that thing on speaker!" McGee did as instructed and they could hear the surrounding laughter and such.

"Jethro," the other man greeted.

"Teddy, didn't know you were still in DC," Gibbs greeted the man; they assumed he was the marine. "How's your wife?" They watched the other man's face pale slightly.

"Good, home with the kids," Teddy answered. Teddy however wasn't getting the message, Senator Sommers on the other hand had.

"Well I should be off, good evening Director," Sommers said, standing and apparently thinking twice of kissing Jenny's cheek. Gibbs hadn't moved from her side.

"Good evening," she returned. She tried to keep her face expressionless as Gibbs lightly squeezed her shoulder.

"You ready to go too?" He asked sweetly. _Game_, she smirked slightly, but sighed reluctantly.

"If you are." He nodded, and helped her slid off the barstool. "It was nice to meet you Teddy."

"You too, here's my card," the man said holding it out. Gibbs snatched it.

"We'll talk to you later," he said taking Jenny's arm and leading her off. The team and Teddy, as well as just about every other male in the bar watched as Gibbs lead the lovely Director out of the bar helping her with her coat and everything. They kept their eyes focused as Gibbs leaned closer as if to whisper something in her ear. "DiNozzo, you can shut the mic off now."

But of course they didn't. They wanted to know what was going to happen as Gibbs called for his car. He held out his hand and she slid of the bracelet she'd been wearing. He took it and dumped it in her purse, closing the bag back up. The team sighed._ Foiled, _but they still had the visual and so came outside. Jenny was standing close to Gibbs side, his arm around her shoulders. They appeared not to notice as Ziva and Tony inched closer to hear the conversation.

"Nice night," Gibbs commented.

"How many?"

"Forty eight," he replied holding out the list.

"That's very good Jethro, I'm impressed actually." She handed him her list. _Forty-nine: Daniel Markson, lawyer. _The number was written beside the name.

"Okay so you're a good flirt."

"I resent that," she bit back. "I can simply hold people's attention longer than you."

"Or the dress can hold attention"

"You could just say you like," she sighed.

"I haven't decided yet." Tony cringed; _no wonder the Boss has that many ex-wives._

"To bad, I thought it held your attention long enough," she replied sweetly moving to step away and find her car. He held her in place.

"You did it on purpose."

"You forced Tony to kiss Ziva."

"You made Abby pretend to be engaged to McGee!" He countered.

"You started this entire thing!"

"Did not."

"Did to." Tony and Ziva watched the volleys continue, even as the car was pulled around. "You bought an Aston Martin?" Jenny paused in her argument with him.

"Borrowed it. Come on, I'll drive you home."

"I beat you and I get to ride in a classic car, not a bad day."

"You didn't win."

"I had one more name and your forfeited," she reminded.

"I did not forfeit." They both slid into the car and closed the doors waiting for the rest of the ten cars in line to move.

"Yes you did, you got up when the Senator sat down next to me and then Teddy came over and that's when you finally stopped your circling like a vulture."

"I was not circling."

"Prowling?" She suggested in place of circling. "And Teddy was a nice guy."

"He's married with kids, and he's known for having a harem of women."

"I shouldn't be surprised that you're familiar with the word harem," she remarked. His phone rang; she looked at the caller id. "And look, guess Teddy is going to bribe you for my number."

"Clearly I didn't make my point."  
"And what point was that?" she inquired turning her head slightly. Before he could respond, her phone rang. It was his turn to smirk.

"Commander Skinner?" he questioned.

"Number thirty four, thought about smacking him too," she replied. "Its not a phone call, it's a text message." She opened her phone to read the message. "Wants to give me a ride home."

"I bet," Gibbs muttered, glancing out the window. There was Skinner coming down the steps looking to see if Jenny had left. "Obviously he didn't get the message either."

"Uh huh," she responded ignoring him. She was trying to decide if she should text him back or not.

"Jen…"

"What?" She turned to face him and he waited half a second before leaning in. He kissed her lightly, a bare hint of a kiss, giving her plenty of opportunity to pull back. She didn't, he pulled back to find her slightly dazed.

"Point made," he said quietly pointing out the window. She spotted Skinner and Teddy starring at the car.

"You could have done that in the bar," she replied.

"And let Tony know that I actually watch movies?" He laughed.

"Oh, I thought the move he used on Ziva was familiar." She glanced in front of them the cars were still stopped.

"I can imitate that," he replied. She raised an eyebrow he placed his hand on her neck and pulled her slightly closer, pressing his lips to hers again. She pulled him deeper into the kiss, memories of other car rides and stakeouts swirling around her. He only pulled back when he heard the faint beep of a car horn. She shifted back into her seat her eyes focused ahead on the traffic as he maneuvered the car into the streets. Her hands had fallen back into her lap and he placed one of his over the one rest on her thigh. He pulled her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it as they stopped at a traffic light.

"So I guess I should throw away the numbers."

"I'll get rid of mine too," he assured, stroking his thumb over the back of her hand. "So Diane and a Doctor."

"I wouldn't wish her on anyone," Jenny sighed. "Todd's a nice guy. Not my type."

"Good," He agreed. She intertwined his fingers with her.

"You know depending on the mic they were using the bag might not have stopped the sound."

"So who won the bet?"

"I don't know."

---

It was a rather quiet morning, as mornings went in NCIS. The teams were up to their usual antics as in most of the teams doing paper work or twiddling their thumbs waiting for a case, and Agent Gibbs' team was bickering. It wasn't even the whole team, just the very Special Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo, and Officer Ziva David of Mossad. Now the other NCIS agents were hesitant to argue with Ziva, they didn't want to die, but Tony had no problem with it, long as the Boss wasn't around. Gibbs and the Director walked stepped off the elevator and observed the bickering glad, that it was covering their arrival. It wasn't that they'd meant to come in together; they just hadn't gotten up in time to take separate cars.

"Gibbs."

"Jenny did it."

"No way," Tony protested. "Gibbs did it which means I win."

"If you really think about it," McGee interrupted. "Gibbs forfeited the game, so the Director won, and in turn Ziva won."

"But because they kissed Tony wins the other bet," Abby finished.

"And here they are now," Ducky said quietly. "Late, together, making me the winner."

"So not fair," Tony protested handing over the fifty. The rest of the team reluctantly handed over their money too.

"Ducky you win at the range or something?" Gibbs inquired, standing just a little to close to the Director.

"Or something," Ducky answered. "These are for you Director." He handed her envelope and she opened it.

"Tickets to Annie Get Your Gun, how very fitting Ducky, spend the pool money on them?" Jenny questioned handing the tickets to Gibbs as he handed her his coffee. The team simply watched in anticipation as she took a sip.

"Apparently not," The elder man sighed handing the money all over to Abby.

"Thanks Duckman," Abby said sweetly before she bounded over to Gibbs and kissed his cheek lightly. "Thanks Gibbs." Jenny handed her a Caff-Pow. "Thank you Director." And she went happily on her way, the team watching her with admiration and sadness. Gibbs and Jenny laughed at their saddened features and exchanged a look. _Anything they can do, Abby can do better. _

**-END-**


	7. A Little Fall of Rain

**Title: A Little Fall of Rain**

**Rating: K **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. It's from Les Miserables**

**Spoilers: Nothing really,**

**Summary: And rain will make the flowers grow…**

**In Memory of Scott... **

**_Warning: Character deaths…remember lynching is illegal._**

* * *

****

In hindsight he should have seen it coming, wished he had. He should never have let her leave her office. Never should have agreed to this. She wasn't the type to sit on the sidelines, she wanted in the action and so he shouldn't have been surprised to see her follow Ziva into the building. They were trying to rescue a child, a case that had already had him to hell and back, and then they rushed in to find a gun at the little blonde girl's head. There was more then one baddie, he'd only taken out the one with the child, and managed to get her out of the way. He covered the child as more shots were fired and knew they'd just walked in to a trap. He had thought they had gotten everyone till he heard the one shot extra shot followed by another.

"Jenny!" Ziva's harsh scream had cut through his adrenaline and forced him to turn around. She hadn't been shot, the one he had thought was dead, had had a knife. That knife was now embedded in his one time partner's abdomen. She had doubled over with the pain and he could see her legs were failing.

"Jen," his voice was choked whisper. DiNozzo and McGee were beside him grabbing the child, leaving him free to catch her falling form. He got to her just in time and held her. "Jen."

"I…didn't see it."

"Shh, no talking," he ordered his voice strangely soft and gruff. "Jen…"

"I don't think there's a way out of this one Jethro," she whispered as the rain began to fall from the darkened clouds.

**_Don't you fret, M'sieur Marius  
I don't feel any pain  
A little fall of rain  
Can hardly hurt me now_**

He covered her body with his jacket, still holding her tightly, applying pressure to the wound, but the blood kept spilling. He knew if he removed the knife she would bleed out faster and yet the knife could be further damaging her organs.

"DiNozzo!"

"Bus is on its way Boss!"

"It's not going to get here in time," Jenny coughed. She wasn't a total idiot, and she couldn't help the feeling that everything was fading.

"You'll be fine, okay, a few stitches and a couple glasses of bourbon you'll be fine," he tried to joke.

"Jethro, don't," she warned softly, she wrapped her hand around his wrist.

_**You're here, that's all I need to know  
And you will keep me safe  
And you will keep me close  
And rain will make the flowers grow.**_

The rain surrounded them, encasing them, the team stood off to the side. They were silent and watched the people they loved as parents say the final goodbye. Each knew and were slowly accepting what was happening. The Director of NCIS would be gone within the night.

"Jen come on, you've been hurt worse," he reminded trying to get her to hold on.

"Jethro, you weren't very good at this comforting thing the last time I was shot," Jenny tried to tease.

"Hey, we got out of that one just fine too," he reminded. "You walked out of that one just fine." She coughed again and he could still feel the blood spilling under his hands.

_**But you will live, 'Ponine - dear God above,  
If I could heal your wounds with words of love.**_

He felt her tighten her grip on his hand as a spasm racked her body. He held her tighter, pressing harder on the wound trying to get her life to stay. He couldn't go through this again, couldn't say goodbye to her. He wouldn't say goodbye, she'd be fine after the doctors got her.

"Jethro…" Her voice was fading, and he leaned closer to hear it over the rain.

"It's going to be okay."

"You know this isn't exactly what I pictured…"

"Don't be ridiculous, you're not going to die, you hear me?" She let her free hand touch his cheek. "You're not going to die."

_**Just hold me now, and let it be.  
Shelter me, comfort me**_

Ziva wrapped her coat around Jenny and backed away slowly. She didn't want to intrude on the goodbye; she knew would have to be said. She could feel her heart tightening as she watched the one person she had always admired fade. A faint smile crossed her face though as she watched Jenny rest her head on Gibbs' shoulder.

"Gibbs is going to raise this guy from the dead and kill them again," Tony whispered. Ziva placed her hand on his shoulder. McGee stepped forward and away from them, Tony held him back.

"Its not our place," Ziva said.

"You're her friend."

"Trust me, she's where she wants to be," Ziva answered. She pulled a letter from inside her shirt pocket.

"What's that?"  
"Something she gave me in Cairo, to give to her partner if she didn't make it."

"But she did make it, so she's going to make it now," Tony protested. Ziva turned her gaze to him, and shook her head. Tony put his arm around her shoulders and the three watched. "I feel like I'm saying goodbye to my mother."

_**You would live a hundred years  
If I could show you how  
I won't desert you now...**_

"Guess I'm not going to make fifty," Jenny sighed trying to hide her pain.

"You're going to make one hundred and two," Gibbs tried to reassure.

"In this job?" She questioned. "You have to learn to say goodbye Jethro."

He continued applying pressure; he could hear her breath shortening as she fought away the pain. His hand that was not applying the pressure, tried to sooth the aching pain in her. He had always loved the color red, especially on her, but now he decided he hated it. He pulled her impossibly closer vowing never to let her go again. Their past flashed before him and he would give anything to have had any one of those moments last forever. Anything to stop this, anything to keep her here with him…

"Jenny?" She'd fallen to silent for his liking.

"Hm?" Her breath was failing. He could feel her skin dampening and becoming colder by the second.

"We're going to have to get you a new coat, you always get so cold."

"It's raining, Jethro," she pointed out.

"Yea, you always liked the rain, like that park in Positano…" His mind drifting to a time they fell asleep in the sun filled park only to wake up to pouring rain.

"Good times," she replied smiling faintly. "I've missed those times."

"Me too," he responded.

_**The rain can't hurt me now  
This rain will wash away what's past  
And you will keep me safe  
And you will keep me close  
I'll sleep in your embrace at last.**_

The rain was starting to ease up and Jenny knew she would give anything to see one more sunset. It was funny how the little things you took for grant till you knew you would never see another one. She knew she wouldn't see the sun shine again, or set, or rise. Starring at his ice blue eyes though, she decided she didn't need anything else.

"Jethro…"

"Jen, I…" She placed her fingers to his lips. She tilted her head up and met his eyes with her fading green ones. She pressed her lips lightly to his, tasting his breath one last time. She felt the tears on her cheeks as he kissed her back softly. He pulled back slightly to meet her eyes again and found the tears spilling from them slowly.

"I should have done that years ago," she whispered sadly.

"We still have years left," he promised, knowing that it was becoming a false one. He could feel her pulse slowing, but could also hear the sirens in the distance. Help was on its way, he prayed and called upon every spirit he knew to not let it be to late.

_**The rain that brings you here  
Is Heaven-blessed!  
The skies begin to clear  
And I'm at rest  
A breath away from where you are  
I've come home from so far  
So don't you fret, M'sieur Marius**_

_**I don't feel any pain  
A little fall of rain  
Can hardly hurt me now**_

Her hand cupped his cheek, her skin soft as he remembered it. He wanted her to look at him that way for the rest of his life, because he knew he wouldn't let her go now. Not after they finally found their way back to each other. He wouldn't let Death take her. His thoughts must have been on his face because she smiled as best she could as her body racked itself in more spasms.

"I never wanted to say goodbye," she told him. "I couldn't ever say goodbye."

"You won't have to."  
"Don't be to hard on your team," she warned.

"I'm not hard on them," he denied trying to get her smile back. He would bottle that look and store it on the shelf in his mind.

"Promise me something," she said hesitantly.

"Anything."

"Try not to get yourself in a life or death situation for awhile," she said.

"In this job?" He tried to joke using her own words, but he could see the fear she had within her green eyes. "Okay, not for a while anyway."

"Good," she responded. She felt his hand brush through her hair and relaxed into his touch.

_**Hush-a-bye, dear Eponine,  
You won't feel any pain  
A little fall of rain  
Can hardly hurt you now**_

"I'm here," he promised.

"That's all I need to know," she smiled. The rain had turned into a soft misting that covered them in droplets.

_**I will stay with you  
Till you are sleeping**_

He held her closely, trying to engrave her in his mind forever and ever. He should never had let her come, never had let her leave her office. And yet he knew she wouldn't have stayed put, it's what he loved about her. Love…

_**And rain...**_

_**Will Make the flowers…**_

She met his eyes one last time knowing she couldn't watch them cloud over in any more pain as she slipped away. She kissed him again, and he responded, desperate to make the kiss last eternity. He felt her hand slip away from his face and her kiss fade away. Her head slipped to his shoulder, her eyes closed as if she was sleeping, and he knew…she was gone.

"Jenny? No, come on Jenny, please don't die, please don't…Jen…" His voice was barley above a whisper and the team tried to stay away. Ziva's eyes filling with tears, knowing her friend was gone, that this time, she couldn't save her. The ambulance pulled up and Tony and Ziva moved closer to separate Gibbs from Jenny. What they heard fall from his lips; they knew they would never forget. "I'm sorry Jen, I'm so sorry."

_**Grow**_

* * *

"It's been ten years," Tony said to Ziva as they stood outside the hospital room watching their one time boss. McGee and Abby stepped out followed by Jimmy Palmer, NCIS's new medical examiner as Ducky had finally retired back to Scotland. 

"They said his heart just gave out," Jimmy repeated.

"There wasn't any indication of it," McGee added trying to sooth his friends' guilt of having not noticed.

"He died of a broken heart," Ziva concluded. Tony had finally learned not to question his partner's conclusions and so let it be. "Did he say anything?" Abby smiled a little through her tears and running makeup.

"Yea…he said Jen," She told them. The team smiled, everything wasn't going to be okay, but they had feeling it was going to get a little better.

_He watched them from the corner of the room, his team, his family, his children, the only things in his life that had kept him going after she had left him. He turned to examine his shell of a body, he was glad that the afterlife gave him back his younger looks. It turns out he wasn't the only one who got their young looks back either. Jennifer Shepard stood in front of him looking not a day older then she had in Paris wearing a very familiar lilac sweater._

_"Hello Jethro," she greeted very similar to the manner when she'd walked back into his life the second time._

_"Jen…so this is what death feels like?"_

_"Yea you get used to it," she replied laughingly. "Come on." She held out her hand from him to take but he was hesitant. "You can't go back this time Jethro."_

_"I don't want to go back, I just…"_

_"Come on, there's someone who wants to see you," She coaxed leading him through a bluish whirlpool of lights. They stepped out reappearing in what he swore was NCIS Headquarters._

_"I'm spending eternity at work?"  
"Hardly, this is just a stopping point," she assured leading him down the stairs toward his desk where his first surprise sat on looking the same as she had when he'd last saw her._

_"Hi Gibbs."_

_"Kate?"_

_"Hello Gibbs," a male voice greeted, Jenny quickly restrained him as he tried to lunge for the man responsible for his one agent's death._

_"Ari you son of a…"  
"Jethro, Kate has something she wants to tell you," Jenny snapped his voice brining him back to the fact that Kate was standing with her arm around Ari._

_"I'm happy Gibbs, please say you're happy for me," The young brunette pleaded. Gibbs was a little stunned by the whole thing and simply nodded letting Jenny lead him toward the elevators. He looked back at Kate as the doors closed and she waved happily._

_"So Kate…and Ari?"_

_"Kind of a surprise to me too," she assured. "Kate was my guide."_

_"Guide?"_

_"Angel of Death, something like that, its my job here, to lead you through to you eternity or eternity till your reborn depending on someone higher up," Jenny explained. Gibbs paused at this, happy to find that being in heaven…or wherever they were did not affect the emergency stop on the NCIS elevator. He had never given much thought except for the fact that he would be back with Kelly…and Shannon. He always thought Jen would outlive him, not the he would leave her…again._

_"So this eternity place…where's yours?"_

_"Paris," she answered. "Sometimes I see my father, mostly I stay in Paris."_

_"But…"_

_"It'll all be explained Jethro, just relax." She let the elevator start again and when he stepped off he was on a beach next to the shore with Jenny standing beside him._

_"Mexico."_

_"A nice place to start retirement," she teased before her smile fell away and a serious expression took hold. He didn't think you were supposed to be serious in heaven._

_"Jen?"_

_"Jethro, I want to tell you a story." He nodded for her to continue. "Many eons ago, after humans evolved and such, we were given souls, the souls were split in half and placed with individuals. Humans love companionship, so the Gods thought it would be ideal. We would find the other half of our souls and never be alone for as long as humanity existed. We would always be reborn to find our soul mate. Somewhere early on, a woman found the other half of her soul…they got together, had a child, and then he was killed in a war between clans. She had her child, but she was so alone, it wasn't fair that she should be separated from him and so she couldn't imagine him ever having to be separated from her, so she split her half in halves, one binding to look after her child and one to fade away to the eternal lands to be with her mate._

_The gods…they didn't like this too much and so they vowed that every other time the souls were reborn only one of the woman's half would find the mate. And so it went until a time not so long. The woman found her mate, they had a child, she and the child were both killed leaving her mate all alone. The child's soul had aged enough to finally understand the sadness and pain that both her parents went through. So she found the Book of Souls and stole it from the Gods. She found the other half of the woman's soul and ensured that her father would meet her, and they did meet and they were together for a while, until she too died. The Gods were very angry with the child but she was defended by both halves of the woman's soul, and rather then combine them into one half of a soul again, they were still split. The would not be able to exist in the same places within heaven, but the child could move between the planes and the man could as well, but you see he had to make a choice, one that you now have to make Jethro."_

_"A choice."_

_"This story is about you, essentially."_

_"So…you…and Shannon…"_

_"We share parts of the same half soul, the half the belongs makes yours whole."_

_"And Kelly?"_

_"Is very much like you, always looking for answers, not resting till everything is solved," Jenny laughed._

_"So I have to chose between…"_

_"Well yes…sort of."_

_"Sort of?"_

_"There is another choice, something that the Gods themselves used once. You would spend half a mortal year with each of us."_

_"And Kelly?"_

_"Kelly can travel between the worlds and she and I can exist in the same plane," Jenny said._

_"So that's the choice I have to make and you can't tell me which one to chose."  
"Free will Jethro, I've overstayed my visit as it is," she sighed glancing at the far horizon. "There's really only one thing I have left to do."  
"And what's that?" She stepped closer to him, kissing him softly. She pulled away before he could deepen the kiss and slipped away towards another portal of lights where he could tell she was starring at something intensely. She held out a hand and he watched a smaller one accept and leap through the portal landing softly on her feet. He would recognize that little face anywhere. "Kelly?"_

_"Daddy!" The little girl bolted from Jenny's side into his waiting arms. He held her tightly finally able to hold her as he had wished to for years. He looked over her head and watched Jenny for a moment. She gave a smile wave and blew a kiss, before she turned and stepped through another portal. In her place Shannon appeared._

_"Shannon," his voice was hoarse as he saw her for the first time in so long. He didn't know how to explain it; he had never felt so completely and yet still a part of him felt like it was missing. He wondered if that was what Jenny meant. Shannon came closer kissing him above Kelly's head._

_"Hello Jethro," she greeted._

_"Shannon I…"_

_"You have to make your choice Jethro," Shannon said._

_"But…" How could he stay with his wife and still make sure Jenny was all right?_

_"She won't know for at least another mortal year."_

_"But she said it was half a year."_

_"If you chose that, she has to forfeit her first turn, she interfered in a mortal life without the okay."_

_"She saved Ziva's life," Kelly spoke up. "Said it was to pay a debt." And Gibbs knew what they were talking about. Nearly two years after Jenny had been killed they were in a firefight, Ziva had been wounded fatally but had survived by a miracle. He knew now, Jenny was that miracle. Kelly ran off to play in the waves as Shannon shooed her on her way. Jethro finally got to hold her as he'd dreamed off._

_"I know what you'll chose," she told him._

_"You…" his voice was hoarse again for an entire different reason. He had only ever truly loved two women, Shannon and Jen. Why couldn't he just combine them?_

_"…and Jen. It's not a betrayal Jethro. She's a part of me as I'm a part of her. You can't feel guilty for loving her."_

_"But…"_

_"No buts Jethro, you'll see her in a year, we've discussed it."_

_"She said she wasn't allowed to make the choice."_

_"We both aren't, but we were allowed to meet once, and we talked."_

_"Do I even want to know?"_

_"Hm…no."_

_"And she won't tell me either?"_

_"Probably not, but you can try," Shannon told him wrapping her arms around him._

_"You both always seemed so jealous…"_

_"Oh don't think we aren't going to talk about those ex-wives. Honestly, it was about time Kelly interfered. I was getting ready to."_

_"So you didn't like the ex-wives but…"_

_"I told you Jethro, we're apart of each other," Shannon reminded leading him down toward the shore. He let the conversation filter to his mind, instead enjoying his family._

* * *

"A whole year," Ziva sighed dramatically. 

"New rule, no one is allowed to die for a while," Tony issued.

"Tony I outrank you," McGee reminded.

"Probie, Gibbs called Jenny Junior Director, don't think you're getting out of the Probie…or would you rather me call you elflord?"

"You two," Abby scolded. The four glanced around the room. "Do you think he really saw Gibbs?"

"Oh yes, most defiantly," Ziva assured.

_She was waiting for him. Sitting in her one time office chair pretending to flip through papers simply waiting for the door to be thrown open. It was Kelly who had told her what was going to happen, she had never been more thankful for the child then that moment. She could hear the footsteps, almost could hear Cynthia's expected shouting, and the door blew open and in he walked._

_"Just as I was starting to think of my door as a door again," she sighed dramatically._

_"Got anyone to call back this time?"_

_"Nope, why?" He walked over leaned down and kissed her. She certainly wasn't going to let a kiss like that go to waste. Except the world suddenly shifted and they could hear a voice behind them._

_"Eh hem, I do believe you two have been caught twice now."_

_"Ducky!" They both broke apart quickly turning to face the older man. Jenny looked around to find them in a hospital room._

_"Ducky did you…"_

_"Apparently so…terribly tragedy I'm sure. And how are you two?"_

_"Fine, Duck thanks for asking," Gibbs answered._

_"So where we off to?" Ducky asked._

_"Well you see I got this boat…" Jenny began leading through the whirlpool to a street in France that led to the docks._

_"You know this reminds me of a time…" Ducky continued in his usual fashion. Jenny and Jethro walked behind, their hands intertwining._

_"Do you think we should remind him we were there?"  
"Let him talk," Gibbs responded leaning down to kiss her again._

_Ducky glanced behind him to see his two friends lip locked again and sighed dramatically. Sure it may have been years but he had always known this moment would come. About damn time too, he thought stopping and picking a flower from a vendor and then an umbrella as rain started to fall._

* * *

**Author's Note: I promise something fluff next time, but this just needed to be written. Now just remember it is illegal to lynch and that I usually write you all fluff. **


	8. Something In Red

**Title: Something In Red**

**Rating: K -T**

**Disclaimer: I still don't NCIS, Song and Lyrics from Lorrie Morgan "Something in Red"**

**Spoilers: Everything's fair game. **

**Summary: I'm looking for something in red , Like the one that wore when I first turned his head.**

**_For_**_**dare-denymecider, by request and because she's written me some fabulous fics (seriously go read them!).**_

* * *

_Positano 1998_

_**I'm looking for something in red  
Something that's shocking to turn someone's head  
Strapless and sequined and cut down to there  
Stockings and garters and lace underwear  
The guaranteed number to knock the men dead  
I'm looking for something in red**_

The shop owner watched the young red haired woman wander about the store every so often glancing at the red dress that was on display in the window. She was rather beautiful as women went, and being a shop for women she had seen plenty. This one though had uniqueness to her. There was something about her that radiated power and yet a gentle aura seemed to settle around her. She was clearly a woman in love that much was for sure. She had the dreamy eyes, the soft sighs every so often, and the darting eyes to the red dress. The elder woman smiled slightly and decided that perhaps all she need was a bit of encouragement.

"May I help you Miss?" She asked in French. The woman seemed startled but responded with a well-hidden American accent.

"Oh no, I'm just looking." The elder woman nodded and switched her language to English.

"I can recognize a woman in a dilemma, fancy party perhaps?"

"No, a date actually. I just...we're kinda in a rough patch right now," the young woman answered her emerald eyes dulling to peridot.

"Oh my dear, don't we all go through those? Come now, how about a lovely red dress to match your hair?"

"He likes red," she sighed again. So the young woman finally agreed, a half hour later she was leaving the store with the red dress in the window, and some things to go underneath. _Whoever he is, he sure is lucky._

---

Jennifer Shepard lay in bed later that night smiling. _Red dress, success, _she mentally checked off watching her lover toss it over the chair before sliding back in bed beside her. He whispered the three words she was sure she would never tire hearing and she responded the same before curling into his side and falling back to sleep.

* * *

_Washington DC January 2008_

_**I'm looking for something in green  
something to out do an ex-high school queen  
Jealousy comes in the color of jade  
Do you have some pumps and a purse in this shade  
And a perfume that whispers Please come back to me  
I'm looking for something in green**_

The shopkeeper could have sworn she saw this woman before. It was highly unlikely after all she'd moved to DC only three years ago and before that her shop was on a small street in Positano, the odds of someone being the same was just astronomical. Yet she was positive she'd seen the woman, certainly older, red hair fading and the gentleness carefully masked, still she would bet a salary that this was the woman who had left her shop so many years ago with a red sequenced dress. She wondered what had changed her so from the loving woman to this carefully hiding everything woman. Again she wandered over to her and inquired this time in English.

"Do you need any help Miss?"  
"Oh, uh no I…just looking, thank you," she replied politely.

"A date perhaps?" the elder woman pressed. The red head smirked.

"Drinks," the woman answered. "With old friends." The way she said old friends left the shopkeeper very clear on how she felt about old friends. She was clearly trying not to be jealous.

"Well my dear, with your looks I would go with green, there's an older cut over there, but I think you would like it," the shopkeeper suggested. The red head glanced at the simply thin strap, v-neck, green dress and smiled.

"You wouldn't happen to have shoes to match would you?" The woman inquired.

"Of course we do, perhaps a new perfume as well? We import from France." The woman's eyes lit up at this turning a very familiar emerald shade.

"Do you have _Eau de Toilette Ambre et Vanille_?"

"Yes of course."

---

Jennifer Shepard, Director of NCIS was not usually a woman easy to read. She was typically very good at masking her feelings, but this was just too much. Finally, finally the Colonel had left the scene and just when she thought there might be a chance, what happens? Leroy Jethro Gibbs bumps into his high school sweetheart, who was naturally the prom queen. Jenny hated her already. Sure, she knew he had multiple ex-wives but this one was different, this one was before everything in his life, this was before Shannon, and she was not surprisingly a red head, which led to all sorts of other thoughts she hadn't wanted to think about.

She had gone for a drive slipping away from work while everyone was too busy to notice her disappearance though she knew if she were gone for too long Gibbs would send out a search party. She had agreed to go to drinks with the whole team, it just happened to be in the same bar that Gibbs and his old friend we're going to, not that she wasn't completely positive Tony had planned it that way, but still. She was going, purely for the company or so she told herself.

She ended up stopping in a smaller suburb with its own charm and went for a walk in the park. She came upon some swings and sat down trying to remember the last time she'd had fun like this, even if it was by herself. It was as she was sitting there that she noticed the shop window, it looked strangely familiar to her but she couldn't completely place it. The name though, she swore it was a sign. Kelly's. _Well thank you very much, you probably wouldn't like her anymore than I would,_ Jenny thought wandering over to the store. It reminded her of this place in Positano where she'd bought…well that didn't need to cross her mind right now. She came out an hour later with a green dress, pumps, and perfume. Two hours later she was walking into the uptown bar with Ziva alongside her. Jenny had no trouble finding the prom Queen bit…woman and smiled sweetly as she was introduced. It wasn't till a glass of bourbon later that things got interested. Jenny had excused herself to take a phone call from Cynthia, and barley listened, as she had been far too entranced with Gibbs coming up behind her and waiting rather patiently for her to finish her call. She had been waiting for this moment, knowing there was no way he would let her mysterious disappearance slip by without comment.

"Everything alright?"  
"Just Cynthia working something out, I don't pay her enough."

"Anything to do with you slipping your security detail today?"

"Jethro give it a rest," she replied.

"Where were you?"

"Shopping," she shot back. "Happy now?"

"Shopping?" He really didn't get her, he hated shopping and yet he could remember other times in other countries where she'd wander off in a street and he'd find her a half hour later in some shop or another completely oblivious of the time.

"You friend is nice, Lacey."

"Tracey."

"Oh," Jenny replied not sounding particularly apologetic. He knew that tone; she'd had it for a while when Hollis was around, well when she was first around. She was starring off behind him no doubt looking at something not so important but not wanting to continue the conversation. He had the free moment to quietly observe her, not that he hadn't been starring at her all night, the woman certainly knew how to make an entrance. She'd been quiet, simply walking in with Ziva, sliding onto the stool beside her younger friend and smiling sweetly as he introduced Tracey. However he'd almost forgotten Tracey's name in the process. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen her done up in a while but he'd really forgotten just how gorgeous she could be. Perhaps it was the fact that she tended to dress more conservatively at work and so he'd really not forgotten how gorgeous she was but rather the effect that gorgeousness had on him. He was close enough now that he could smell her perfume and there was something oddly familiar about it.

"You get new perfume?" He inquired as they meandered their way back to the bar.

"No, its not new, I just finally found another bottle of it."

"Hard to find perfume?"  
"Its from France," she said simply continuing to walk ahead of him. He had nearly frozen, now he knew what it was so familiar, it was the perfume he had bought her, the one that had nearly gotten them arrested for indecent exposure, the one that she had worn constantly when they were there. It was his favorite scent but then he didn't ever remember her wearing it since she'd become Director. _So she couldn't have gotten it when she went to Paris_, he reasoned. His thoughts had taken only thirty seconds to complete and it was just enough time to reach out and grab her wrist before she'd gotten to far ahead. She turned back to him, eyebrow raised in surprise.

"Dance with me?"

"What?"

"Dance with me?"

"You don't dance Jethro," She reminded somewhat amused.

"C'mon," he didn't wait for her response, simply tightening his grip and leading her over to the dance floor. He gave one glare over to his team who all quickly found something else to look at and he finally did what he'd been dying to do for years. He got to dance with her. As he lead them over the floor Jenny glanced over his shoulder and spied Lacey…err Tracey glaring. _Mission accomplished,_ she smirked.

* * *

_Washington DC End of January 2008_

**_I'm looking for something in white  
Something that shimmers in soft candlelight  
Everyone calls us the most perfect pair  
Should I wear a veil or a rose in my hair  
Well, the train must be long and the waist must be tight  
I'm looking for something in white_**

She was back; the red head woman that she had learned was the same from the one so many years ago in France. She learned her name, Jenny, her job, Director of a Federal Agency, and she'd finally learned his name too, Jethro. At least she assumed that was who this man had to be. Jenny came in every so often now, mostly to just browse but sometimes to buy. They would always chat about anything and everything and most often then not Jethro would somehow make his way into the conversation. This one particular day Jenny came in looking a little haggard, but that was typical for the end of the week and she walked straight over to the counter.

"Samara I need a white dress," she said, no beating around the bush. Just up front and straight out, which was unusual.

"Jethro finally get his act together?" She teased the younger woman. Jenny looked pale for a minute before her thought process caught up.

"Not that kind of white dress. Please, he hasn't done a thing, though I haven't seen Lacey, Macey…whatever her name was again."

"So no wedding bells," Samara sighed noticing the fading of the emerald eyes.

"No, not for me," she replied. "But I do need a white dress. The SecNav's wife decided to host some ridiculous ball and the theme is white and…I really, really don't want to wear a white gown."

"Jethro escorting you?"

"Uh…well I hadn't asked."

"Maybe you should, but as it is I think I have the perfect thing right here. Not white more of a tan ivory, very simple empire cut, lovely no?"

"It's very pretty and since the ball is tonight and I've been ordered to go…"

"You'll be fine, most brides try on at least thirty dresses," Samara said watching Jenny scrunch her forehead trying to repress laughter. She tried the dress on and was on her way a half hour later.

---

Jenny was going to kill Ducky later. After she dealt with Gibbs. Ducky had had the misfortune of getting a trifling cold and had of course in passing mentioned to Gibbs how he wouldn't be able to take her to the ball that night. Gibbs had laughed when he'd heard the theme and tried to make some comment. She'd walked in on the tail end of it and had simply responded that he would be in his element. So many brides, so little time. Ducky had of course intervened then to suggest that the Director couldn't go by herself, Gibbs would have to go with her, unless Tony was free or McGee. Gibbs, not surprisingly, volunteered himself.

So here they were sitting at their corner table, drinking bourbon and not having said a word past hello to one another. Jenny though had been glad she had found a good dress, everyone paid it compliments most women being envious and most men simply leering. She knew that wasn't helping Gibbs' mood any. He hated politicians, he really hated political events, and thirdly he never had dealt with any other man paying her a compliment that wasn't Ducky. He had a particular problem with Senators it seemed. She didn't care to reason why.

Having finally spoken maybe six or seven words they left in his car, she very happy that he'd let her ditch her security for the night. Now she could go home, and just sleep, because that's apparently what was going to happen. Jethro was very chivalrous walking her all the way to her front door and everything and even glancing over the house when they'd gotten there. She offered him a drink, he accepted. She simply nodded her head moved into her study poured the drinks, sat down and pulled off her shoes, she stood to offer him his drink as he entered the room having his attention distracted by something in her living room, she couldn't figure out what.

"You wearing that perfume again," he stated after taking a sip of his bourbon. She simply met his eyes.

"Which perfume?"  
"That one you said you got in France."

"Ah, I said it was from France, not that I'd gotten it there," She replied.

"Oh," he responded. "I like it." She glanced up at that, but he said nothing more and left just a little while later, but hadn't been gone more then five minutes when her phone rang.

"Shepard."  
"I forgot to tell you, I liked the dress to." She heard the dial tone and pulled the phone away from her ear starring at it before a little smile took hold of her features.

* * *

_Washington DC February 1, 2008_

**_I'm looking for something in blue  
Something real tiny, the baby's brand new  
He has his father's nose and his chin  
We once were hot lovers-Now we're more like friends  
Don't tell me that's just what old married folk do  
I'm looking for something in blue_**

Samara watched as an elegant black town car pulled up and out stepped a man in a black suit followed by none other then Jenny. She watched as the red head said something to her security guard and entered the store sighing in relief.

"Jenny."

"Hello Samara."

"Not out for pleasure today."

"More like Jethro decided I've been irresponsible in my security."

"I saw you just a week ago, what have you done since then?"

"A meeting was held up in Norfolk and then apparently something had happened. I never did get all the details. As such I'm now official under watch, that's McGee," she explained pointing out the window. "Tony is sitting in the car pouting. Gibbs wanted Ziva to stay and help question someone and so these two got stuck on watch. I promised I'd be quick."

"So no browsing?"

"Maybe later once I ditch them," she laughed. "The only reason I haven't yet is cause he'd probably think it was their fault and make my life even more difficult."  
"So what can I help with?"

"I was hoping you could tell me what to buy for a baby."  
"A baby? Jenny something you aren't telling me?"

"Oh no, not mine, good heavens not mine. Don't you think I'm a bit old for kids?"

"You? Hardly. So whose baby?"

"A friend from college just had another one, a little boy, so something blue."

"I just got a blue embroidered blanket in for a crib," Samara informed going to grab it for Jenny. She paid for it and was just about to leave when Samara called her back. "You think about that Jenny."

"I have."

"You aren't getting any younger."  
"I've had my chance," Jenny sighed a bit sadly. Samara didn't like that look, she really didn't like that look, but allowed her friend to leave as it was.

---

Jenny was starring at the blanket for a good long time since she'd returned to her office. She'd often thought about children, but had never said anything, mainly because it was a forbidden topic it seemed. Sometimes she yearned for the days where they had spoken about everything and anything, even though she now knew it wasn't everything, but it was still more freely then they did now. She held the blanket up, rubbing her thumb over the soft material and smiled faintly forcing away the water in her eyes. She was just placing it in the gift box when the door was thrown opened and Gibbs came right on in.

"You took my agents shopping?" He snapped. Admitelly she had been waiting for this little rant, but he had the worst timing ever. She kept her head bent over what she was doing and swallowed twice to make sure her voice wouldn't betray her emotions.

"Jethro please, it was five minutes, I needed one thing and besides it was your fault, you should have left Ziva with me." He had plenty more rant ahead, and more then enough words to form a comeback but the problem was he'd been stopped. She hadn't met his eyes, which meant she was hiding something, and she was folding something.

"What did you get?"

"So suddenly my shopping is something everyone needs to know?" She snapped.

"No, I was just curious." She still didn't look up but by the angle of her head he could tell that puzzled her. "What did you have to have?"

"It was a present, for a friend."  
"Friend?"

"I do have them, just don't ever see them."  
"Birthday?"

"New baby," she replied quietly. He figured that explained her silence, but it didn't explain the watery sheen covering her emerald eyes as she finally met his. He was pretty sure she thought she'd gotten rid of it, but he could make out the tear track down her cheek and wondered what about this had upset her so.

"So what did you get?"

"A blanket," she answered covering the blue object up.

"A boy I take it."

"Finally."

"Finally?"  
"She has three girls," Jenny commented proudly.

"Three?" Gibbs echoed. Jenny nodded. "Girls are good though." She cocked her head in response and simply nodded again before going back to putting a bow on the box and signing the card. Perhaps it was the tears he had seen, perhaps it was the mention of kids, or perhaps he had just missed her, but he couldn't believe the next words came out of his mouth. "Hey Jen?"

"Hm?"

"Have dinner with me?" Her head shot up at that.

"When?" She knew he was going out of town on investigation and she had conferences with the office in three different countries so she had been the one to pick the night card.

"I'll bring it by."

"What's this meal going to cost me?"

"Can't a guy have dinner with his old partner?"

"I suppose," she sighed in mock disinterest but smiled nonetheless. The smile lasted the rest of the night.

* * *

_Washington DC February 14, 2008_

_I**'m looking for something in red  
Like the one that wore when I first turned his head  
Strapless and sequined and cut down to there  
Just a size larger than I wore last year  
The guaranteed number to knock the man dead  
I'm looking for something  
I've gotta have something  
I'm looking for something in red**_

Samara was surprised as she opened the store that a familiar car was already parked outside. She was even more surprised as she spotted a familiar red head starring at something inside the window. There was the standard cup of coffee; her purse slung over one shoulder and a smaller bag gripped in her free hand. She certainly looked all right but there was something about her posture that screamed anxiety.

"Jenny?"

"Good morning Samara," She greeted.

"You're here early, don't you have to be at work?"  
"Oh I, I'm going in late."

"And what does Jethro think about that?"

"Wouldn't know."

"You not speaking or something?"

"He…he got shot last week right after I got that blanket for the baby. He was going to bring me dinner and he managed to get himself shot."

"Is he…" she didn't want to consider what that might do to her friend.

"Oh no, thank god no. He's just be ridiculously stubborn and he won't listen to anyone." By now Samara had gotten her friend into the store where she began to pace the interior. "And it's..."

"What is it?"  
"It's where he was shot, when…well a long time ago suffice to say."

"Perhaps when you were his partner?"

"It was why we went to Positano in the first place, to get out of there. A week of recovery and it was not the best week ever."

"I seem to recall you buying a dress..."  
"Oh well that was the end of the week…" She faded off as a faint smile crossed her face, which she quickly suppressed.

"So it's almost the end of the week, surely he's not being such a bear?"

"A bear?" She echoed. "That would be an understatement."

"Well dear, haven't you put him on leave, can't you do that?"

"Can I? Yes, but if he's at work I can make sure he's alright and…"

"And?"

"I don't know. I tried to go by his house and he gets angry with me, damnit! It's not like I don't know how painful this is; I've already been through this with him. He gets frustrated with me, I've spent more time at his house this last week then I have in years and it was fine, till god forbid I try and help with something. I don't even touch the boat, I try to do his dishes I get grief. The man is completely impossible!"

"Sounds like a Hope Diamond to me."

"Hope Diamond, that at least had a predictable curse. This is just…why do I even put up with it?"

"Well…"

"I should just let him deal with it by himself. He obviously doesn't want my help so why bother…"

"Well there is this thing called Love…" Samara finally cut in and she had never seen her friend fall speechless so fast, but she discovered it had nothing to do with what she'd said but rather what her friend had spotted on the display. A lovely red strapless dress with sequences, just the right length was on the center display. It was a darker shade, one that wouldn't clash with her lightened red hair and there was the fact that it was the only one in the store, and Samara knew it was Jenny's size. "Jenny?"

"I'm sorry what were you saying, Samara?"  
"That dress is your size."

"Is it, well I wouldn't have anything to wear it to," she remarked. Samara looked from dress to woman again, it wasn't as dressy as the one she had bought years ago but it would certainly turn heads.

"It's Valentine's Day, why do you go out with some friends?" She suggested. "It may be the day of Love and what not but there are many kinds of love, go have a drink with Ziva or Abby, you said she was a little blue before."

"I don't really need a new dress for that," Jenny protested.

"No, you don't."

"But I really want a new dress," Jenny sighed. She looked at the dress fingering the material lightly. "You know, that other red dress I bought, we went out to dinner that night. I was supposed to meet him at the restaurant, mainly so we wouldn't get into another squabble. He just didn't want my help with anything, half the time I gave him the pills just to knock him out so I could actually make sure he was healing. Anyway, we agreed to dinner, he suggested it actually, and so we agreed to meet and he was running a few minutes late so I sat down at the bar to wait. He came in looking all over for me at the tables thinking I would just sit until I called over to him and he turned around…in the middle of the restaurant he almost dropped the orchids he was holding. He came right over to me and kissed me, like I was the only thing that mattered. I don't really remember what happened to the flowers, they were pretty though."

"And dinner?"

"Oh…we didn't stay past drinks. It was the very first time and I think the last time he actually apologized to me." She shifted her eyes dulling again, her hand falling away from the fabric as the memories left her. _That boy needs to be smacked upside the head._

"Hm…you want to try it on?" Jenny met her friend's soft grey eyes and sighed.

"Sure, what could it hurt?" A half hour later she walked out the store with it. Samara simply smirked as she noticed the car pulling away.

It was just minutes later when a man entered the store hesitantly. She'd seen that type to, trying to find a gift for their lovely lady, though there was something about this particular man that struck her. He had slightly silver hair and ice blue eyes and a cell phone attached to him.

"No she's not here." Someone must have answered him back, cause he sighed closing the phone and entering the store. He looked around but nothing really seemed to strike him.

"Looking for someone special?" Samara called over.

"Sort of," he answered. He approached the counter and looked at the different perfumes before she noticed his eyebrow rise in surprise. "Do you sell _Eau de Toilette Ambre et Vanille?"_

"Yes, I just have one bottle left though, a friend of my mind is quite fond of it."

"I'll take the bottle," he agreed quickly.

"She must be from France, yes?"

"No, but she loves France…we got this perfume there and she…she's had a hard time finding it till recently."

"Well I'm sure she'll be a very happy lady when you bring this home," Samara assured. He sighed at that.

"I hope she's forgiving." It was barley a muffled comment but Samara had learned to pick up on those. Whoever this girl was, she certainly hoped she was forgiving as well; this was clearly a man in love. He thanked her for help and left, she glanced at the signature. _LJ Gibbs…oh Jenny…_ She thought about calling her friend and had the phone in her hand when he reentered the store. "Ma'am do you know where I can buy orchids?"

"Around the corner, Damselfly Flowers, lovely selection."

"Thank you," he said gratefully and left again she watched him wander off in the right direction. She placed the phone down, _why spoil the surprise?_

---

He pulled into the driveway only to spot the familiar car already there. _Okay…looks like the plans getting moved forward. _ He looked over the car, she was in it. Which was odd because she knew the house was unlocked and it wasn't like she didn't know where anything was. It had to be warmer in the house than sitting in her freezing car. He got out making sure to hide the flower and perfume behind his back. Apparently she had noticed and finally got out of her car, he only caught a glance of red as the full-length black coat covered her.

"Where the hell have you been? Abby's been trying to call you for hours!"

"Abby knew where I was!" He protested.

"She called me in a panic, Tony and Ziva both said you weren't answering your phone and McGee said you didn't have a tracker with you!"

"They did not call," he assured.

"Oh really?" She challenged. He took his free hand and grabbed his phone. The battery was dead. He had the good sense to look a little sheepish and she pinched the bridge above her nose in exasperation.

"So the damn thing died, you shouldn't rely on it anyway," he remarked. "Besides what are you doing here?"

"Besides making sure you hadn't done something stupid or pulled your stitches out?"  
"Like I'd do that," he muttered. He could have sworn she mumbled something as well but he noticed she simply pulled open her car door forcibly; something had ticked her off, _which is exactly what you're supposed to be avoiding!_ "Hey Jen!"

"What?" She snapped.

"You want a drink or something?"

"No." She answered shortly. He was surprised, the emerald in her eyes had disappeared and he didn't quite understand what he was seeing. She got in the car again and he watched her pause a moment resting her forehead against the steering wheel for a split second before straightening and starting the car. He realized he still had the flowers and perfume and he wasn't sure how to get her back out of the car when he realized she had done it herself. The car was still running, but she'd gotten out her left hand clenched in a fist. She came straight up to him her free hand taking hold of his and her left hand depositing something in it. She turned away faster then he could react and moved back toward her car much faster than she'd approached. He glanced at his hand and noticed the silver linked bracelet with the heart charm. He was still dazed as she maneuvered her car out of the driveway and down the road, at a rather fast pace. He leaned against the hood of his car and stared at the bracelet she'd put in his hand. He didn't think she'd kept it, didn't she'd want it anymore, but she had. He placed the flower and perfume back in the car, dropping the bracelet into his coat pocket and getting back in the car starting it. He didn't know where she'd go but he knew one place she would eventually go and so headed for her house. He pulled in killing his lights, the last thing he need was for her to have her gun. He saw Naomi just leaving the house in what seemed like a rush and hurried up, his gifts in one hand.

"Senor Gibbs, I'm afraid she doesn't want…"

"She home?"

"Si Senor but…she just sent me out." Gibbs handed her his car keys.

"Here." She was left holding the keys as he ran up the walk and into the town house.

When Gibbs entered he spotted her coat hanging over the railing and two red pumps kicked toward the side of the wall. He could hear noise in the kitchen and figured that's where she had to be. He entered quietly and spotted her in front of the sink. He wasn't sure what she was doing there, and he was pretty sure he was dreaming. That dress had been in many of his dreams, _okay so maybe it's not exactly the same…its better_. His observation was cut short by a choked sob and the breaking of glass. He looked back to what she was doing and noticed she was pouring out something and one of the bottles had smashed in the sink.

"Jen?" He asked hesitantly not wanting to startle her into dropping any more glass,_too late, _he heard the breaking of more glass and that moved him across the kitchen to where she was. He placed his stuff on the counter on the way and quickly grabbed her arms holding her immobile trying to figure out what exactly would have driven her to pour her four hundred dollar bottles of bourbon down the sink. "Jen what…"

"How did you get in?" She demanded.

"Spare key," he answered more concerned with the blood on her hands and the tiny pieces of glass in them. "What are you doing?" She tried to pull away but failed as he had stepped directly behind her. "Jenny what's gotten into you?"

"Me? What's gotten into me?" She echoed livid. "Jethro, just go. I don't know why you're here, don't particular care, just leave."

"Your hands are bleeding, you think I'm just gonna leave you like this?"

"I can take care of myself just fine thank you!" _Ouch, _why did this seem like reverse de ja vu. _Was that even possible?_

"Fine, I know that, but will you just let me help?"

"You won't let me help, why should I return the favor?" She responded snidely finally sidestepping out of his vicinity grabbing paper towels wrapping her hands in them. He watched her for a moment, the red puffy eyes, the bloodstained hands, the dress… It always came back to the dress didn't it? He replayed their last few words and actions. She'd given him the bracelet back, she was getting rid of all her bourbon, she wouldn't let him help her at all because he'd shut her out…_when all she'd been trying to do was help. _

He got it now, he wished he'd gotten it sooner, she had known he was shot in the same spot, had remembered what a pain it'd been to do anything. She quietly slipped in to help him, so he wouldn't have to ask, so he wouldn't have to be pissed at himself, hell she'd done dishes. She hated to do dishes. All so he wouldn't have to worry about it, all so he could recover. She hadn't put him on forced medical leave, hadn't even suggested it and yet she brought him coffee daily with the two pills alongside it and he'd never questioned it, he'd just given her grief. It explained the attitude…_maybe not the dress or tears, but defiantly the attitude. _He didn't think, he just walked straight over to her, grabbed her hands gently which brought her head up to look at him in surprise and he kissed her. Kissed her like he wished he had when she'd walked back into his life. Kissed her like he knew he should have every day he'd had her in his life. Kissed her like he had in Positano when she had been everything to him. He felt her tense, and wrapped his free arm around her so she couldn't quite pull away, nor could she really try to smack him either. He finally pulled back and her eyes opened the emerald color finally back in them. He hated the pale peridot, if kissing her made the emerald color stay; he'd kiss her a lot.

"What the…"

"Hey it was the only way I know to make you quiet long enough."

"Long enough for what?" She snapped.

"To say I'm sorry." Her eyes widened at that. "And I am, I don't like being shot or helpless or…any of the above, and I really hate hospitals. I'm sorry I've been difficult, I know you were just trying to help and I…I appreciate that." She was silent. Too silent. "Jen?"  
"I'm waiting for the catch."

"Catch?"

"You just apologized, you don't ever apologize," she reminded.

"That's not true! I have in the past…weren't you wearing that dress then to?" He commented.

"No. Different dress. I just bought this," she answered. He nodded before glancing at the counter and spotting his gifts.

"And I've been told when you apologize you should bring gifts," he said picking them up and coming back over. "I'm sorry Jen." The flower was a little haggard but was very lovely and she was impressed he'd found orchids at this time of the year and then glanced at his other hand.

"Perfume?"

"Well you said it was hard to find and I found it and I know you like it…." He faded off.

"Apology accepted," she sighed.

"Good," he agreed placing the perfume and flower down again. "So what were you doing?"

"Ah…" she really didn't want to say she was trying to do get rid of every thing that reminded her of him. He gave her the out suggesting they just clean her hands.

"I'll buy you a bottle for Valentine's Day."

"Something to look forward to next year."

"This year," he corrected looking at her oddly.

"I didn't think there was bottle of bourbon in the apology." He stared at her in surprise.

"Today's Valentine's Day?"

"Yes…February 14, as it has been since like Ancient Greece."

"Today's the 14th?"

"Jethro?"

"I…lost track of days for a bit, I was sure it was the thirteenth," he responded. She felt the ice water begin to seep into her vines.

"Big plans?" He glanced over at her and noticed the emerald fading away again to peridot. He finished cleaning the blood off her hand, leaned down and kissed her again. He gave it a good minute and a half before he pulled away to find the emerald color back.

"Only to do that."

Silence.

"Okay."

"A few thousand more times," he added.

"That can work too," she answered. He leaned down and kissed her again this time much briefer and pulling barley an inch away.

"Good." She reached up and pressed her lips to his, kissing him as she had always wanted to, conveying all her emotions before pulling away just as quickly.

"Very good." They made their way upstairs eventually after a small dinner and he carefully peeled the dress away from her swearing that he fell for her all over again in that minute. There was no Eiffel Tower or other far away place but it was as if they were all their in the one place reminding them of everything they had and everything they could have.

As dawn began to break she stirred slowly, finding the spot next to her empty and she almost panicked but could hear the rustling of clothing. He was laying her dress over the top of the bathroom door, simply so it wouldn't wrinkle. She smiled; he was always that sweet with her. She felt him crawl back in beside her and wrap his arms around her holding her close. She felt him raise her left wrist and the cool metal slipped over it. She blinked her eyes open adjusting them to the soft glow of dawn sun and found her bracelet was back around her wrist. She smiled and felt her heart heal itself right back up. He must have felt her stir because he leaned down to kiss her forehead and met her emerald eyes.

"Hey, Happy Belated Valentine's," he whispered.

"You too," she replied kissing his lips softly before yawning.

"Go back to sleep we only have a few hours before we have to get up."

"I can think of better things to do," she sighed sultrily.

"So could I, but you will miss your meeting and I'll miss slapping DiNozzo."

"I didn't know there was a schedule," she replied.

"He'll be thinking things," he assured. She nodded curling into his warm body absorbing some of his body heat into her. He ran his hand down her back, a slow eloquent touch that half the time made her forget how respiration worked. "Hey Jen?"

"Hm?"

"I liked the dress." She smirked. "But Jen?"

"Hm?" She was almost back asleep. He leaned down kiss her forehead and whispering into her ear the three words she knew she never tired of hearing.

"I love you Jen."

"I love you Jethro," she replied kissing him softly. She'd be thanking Samara later, but right now everything but him was far from her mind.

---

Samara had had to come into the downtown area to deal with some shipping things the day after Valentine's Day. It turned out the place was very close to the Navy Yard and Samara was sorely tempted to find out how Valentine's Day had ended for her friend. She wandered down the street while the place found her shipment and found a coffee shop she heard talk of. Jenny swore by it and so she thought she'd try it. She was just getting there when she heard laughing. The street was awfully quiet; it was still early morning, not busy enough for passersby. She looked across the street to find a couple, the man teasing his companion before handing her a cup of coffee and kissing her softly. Samara watched as the man wrapped his arm around the woman and led her off in a direction. The woman had leaned her head on his shoulder and they were having some conversation for just the two of them. Samara recognized the woman; she'd been in her store in France. She'd bought a red sequenced dress.

**-END-**

* * *

**Author's Note: Okay a little Valentine's Day. For those who like to keep secrets, just a word of wise, I've decided that little Eva from Carols in the Night might make an appearance in another Valentine's Day story. So stay tuned…**

**For all Jibbs fans, there is a jibbsfest going on right now that you can join in! Please check Jenny and Jethro forum. **


	9. That's Not Her Style

**Title: That's Not Her Style**

**Rating:**

**Disclaimer: "That's Not Her Style" is by Billy Joel, I don't own NCIS.**

**Summary: "That's not her style…" Jenny ends up in the tabloids.**

* * *

_**Some people think that she's one of those mink-coated ladies  
They say she wakes up at one  
And makes the paparazzi run till dawn  
She wines and dines with Argentines and Kuwaitis  
After she sips margaritas on the White House lawn**_

"You have got to see this!" DiNozzo announced loudly as he threw the copy of the_ DC Times Gossip _on Ziva's desk. Ziva picked it up and turned to the marked page. It was a picture of a familiar redhead walking up the steps of some hotel in a long coat and no purse or clutch. The tag line was of course some ridiculous commentary on her outfit and how she must be being paid for more than any other Director or she was receiving 'gifts' from a certain older man. The older man was of course not mentioned, but there were plenty of possible targets.

"I don't think the Director would appreciate this," Ziva warned.

"Oh come on, do you know how much that fur coat would cost?"  
"Jenny doesn't wear fur," Ziva assured.

"And how would you know? McGee is this not a real fur coat?" McGee approached pondering if this was another way to be teased but glanced at the picture.

"If its not real, it's a really expensive fake," McGee assured rather surprised at the quality.

"Trust me, Jenny doesn't wear ferret."  
"Mink," McGee corrected.

"She doesn't wear that either," Ziva responded and glanced up knowing her two teammates were about to be slapped. And sure enough seconds later both men's heads went forward as their Boss whacked them.

"Back to work!" Gibbs snapped, glancing down at the picture. "Nice faux fur," he added glancing at the picture. "Officer David I believe you're wanted upstairs." Ziva quickly got to her feet and turned to head up to the Director's office. She leaned over Tony's desk for a minute.

"Told you so," she whispered and moved on her way. Tony and McGee exchanged a look.

"DiNozzo! Where is your case report?" Gibbs shouted across the ten-foot space.

"Working on it Boss," Tony replied cringing and began to work again with a renewed vigor. From the catwalk above the squad room two women watched in amusement and withheld minor laughter, until the one handed the other the tabloid.

"You're mentioned on page five," Ziva informed.

"Am I now?" Jenny responded. "With whom?"

"A mink fur coat."

"I hate fur. That's awful!" She sighed.

"That may have been a gift…"

"From?"  
"Oh they had a list of individuals."

"Who brought it in?"  
"DiNozzo."

"Should've known," she paused reading it before chuckling softly. Ziva looked over. "She prefers margaritas to wine and enjoys giving the media little sneak peaks." She read. "Honestly am I the best celebrity they have right now?"

"Well…" Ziva faded off knowing she could give a list of reasons but figuring that Jenny would not want to hear it. "I could have them killed."  
"Nah," Jenny laughed. "Not worth the energy." Ziva nodded and began to move back down stairs. "Ziva?"

"Yes Director?"

"See if you can make it clear I don't want this discussed."  
"Not a problem," Ziva answered continuing down the stairs. She was quick enough to notice Gibbs glance up at her and then past her to Jenny and she would have bet money that they had a conversation that ended in laugher. _Good for you Jen_, the younger woman thought.

_**That's not her style I can tell you  
That ain't my woman  
It's just not her style I can tell you  
Because I'm her man**_

It was just hours later that Jenny walked through a front door and down into a specific basement. She had managed to get out early when the SecNav canceled a meeting and she had gone home to change into jeans and a lose top and driven over to the house where she spent most her nights. She was very careful, giving her detail the night off and taking a roundabout way so anyone following her was thoroughly confused. She went down the steps and spotted him working on his boat as usual.

"You get followed?"

"Nope, apparently I'm only trailed to more high profile events," she replied.

"Tony's convinced you like fur coats."

"As if," she responded. He looked her over enjoying the view she presented. No one else got to see the Jenny he did. The relaxed, happy one, who would smile for the hell of it and laugh because she felt like it. She was not exactly what one would call high maintenance and she had no problems with getting her hands dirty as was evident when she came straight up and kissed him on the cheek. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied kissing her lips softly and wrapping his arms around her. She didn't mind that he was covered in sawdust and she turned his arms so she could help him sand the boat. It was good way to spend working nights, at least until they got bored or tired and decided that it was time for sleep or not sleep depending. This new run at a relationship was easily slipped into and though they fought, somehow the fights were always better by the next day. The team still hadn't figured out how that happened.

_**The papers say she was seen in L.A. with a stranger  
She found a perfect body with a Maserati right outside  
And then she chartered a Lear  
When she heard her career was in danger  
And gave the pilot somethin' extra for a perfect ride**_

It was just two weeks later that she was rushing from a dinner in LA, filled with mindless politicians, that the papers really got something to talk about. She had called an old friend, one who had worked with both her and Gibbs in Europe and had called in a favor to get a ride to the airport and find a plane for immediate departure.

Naturally the media thoroughly enjoyed her getting into a red Maserati with a gentleman driving. She didn't really care though; she was far too worried to care.

"What's happened Jenny?"  
"Gibbs happened, Randy!" she snapped. And the man knew not to say another word, but he couldn't quite help the faint grin that spread across his face. Looks like he knew a few people who owed him money, from three years ago.

_"I give it three months before they're back together," Linda bet over the conference line, from San Diego._

_"No way, Gibbs was a total wreck, I mean he married Stephanie for crying out loud, I give it a year and a half," Robert countered. _

_"Oh good point," Randy agreed. "Still Jenny needs to get her bearings, and Gibbs is going to give her a hard time, I'll go with three years." _

_"Way to long if you ask me," Linda remarked._

_"This is Gibbs and Jenny we're talking about," Robert reminded. "Those two could use their heads smashed together."  
"We could always look them in a small room?" Randy suggested._

_"You think they know that was Ducky?" Linda inquired remembering some of their past exploits._

"What are you so happy about?" Jenny questioned. Randy looked over at the redhead who was desperately trying to remain in her Director façade.

"Hey Jenny, chill. It's Gibbs, the man cheats death on a regular basis."

"Thank you for that reminder," she commented sarcastically.

"Okay, okay, sheesh. I didn't know you two were…"

"We're not, we weren't."

"Uh huh, tell that to someone who didn't know you eight years ago," he sighed. _Still in need of head bashing._ "So what's he done now?"  
"Randy just drive the damn car." Nothing more was said and she got out at the airport and thanked him politely but he could still notice the fear. As he turned the radio on his way back to the house heard the gossip surrounding her, that her career was in danger, but he knew that to be propaganda. Jennifer Shepard would not fear damage to her career because she could handle that, she could not handle her former partner injured or hurt, so when he heard news of a shoot out involving NCIS agents in Norfolk, he knew the real reason. Though he still enjoyed the headlines that were printed the next day and what he read in the gossip section of the_ LA Times_. He read them aloud to his wife.

"Director of NCIS has a new man in her life, one with a high priced car, and excellent body…."

"It does not say excellent body."

"Linda would I ever lie to you?"  
"You need to remember Rule 8, be convincing when you lie. That and Jenny never looked at you twice."

"You think she's going to tell Gibbs we broke Rule 12?"  
"Not if she doesn't want me to call her a hypocrite."

_**That's not her style I can tell you  
That ain't my woman  
It's just not her style I can tell you  
Because I'm her man**_

Jenny had the town car take her straight to the hospital. She didn't care that there was work to be done; she needed to make sure he was all right. She had only caught the tail end of the report but it certainly explained why he hadn't called her and so now she was worried. She entered the hospital, a woman on a mission, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. She spotted Abby just inside the ER doors and glanced at the nurse. She could either fight with the nurse or…she picked up her phone and dialed Abby.

"Abby here."

"Abby, open the door to ER."

"Director?"  
"Now Abbs," Jenny ordered. The Goth looked up and spotted the redhead, quickly opening the doors and letting her slip in. "What happened?"

"Ziva and Tony are okay, McGee was with me, but Gibbs…" She pointed down the hall towards one of the rooms.

"Where's Ducky?"

"With Gibbs and the Doctors," The young woman answered, and then spontaneously through her arms around Jenny hugging her. Jenny felt a rush of maternal affection for the younger woman and hugged her back.

"Jenny," Ziva called from behind them and Jenny let Abby go to turn to her friend.

"Ziva, what happened?"

"We just got into a little cat-fight," Ziva replied.

"Right, you look like you went ten rounds with a tiger." Ziva chuckled and gestured down the hallway. They passed one room where McGee was sitting with Tony listening to the man's ramblings.

"Tony is thoroughly enjoying the pain killers and the nurses," Ziva informed.

"I bet," Jenny agreed withholding her smile. It was good to see Tony back to the classic DiNozzo. She took a deep breath as Ziva and Abby waited near one door in particular. She knew they would let her have her alone time with Gibbs, and she smiled gratefully entering the room. Memories came rushing back to her, times when she thought she might never see his blue eyes again, but she withheld her tears and sighed in relief. He was asleep but did not appear to be in pain. Ducky was standing next to the bed talking to a doctor she recognized all too well. _Of all the doctors…_she sighed.

"Director," Ducky greeted. "I thought you…"

"Conference finished early," she lied, the good doctor knew she had as well.

"You remember Dr. Gelfand, yes?"

"Yes of course," Jenny responded nodding her greeting, she looked back at Ducky and met his eyes begging for a minute alone.

"Well I'm sure you can fill the Director in, I'll check on my other patients," Todd said leaving.

"He was the doctor on call," Ducky told her. "And as usual Gibbs has cheated death."  
"That's good to hear," Jenny sighed dropping her purse and coat in a chair and standing beside the bed.

"I've heard you made the headlines."

"Let them talk," Jenny countered, but Ducky's consistent stare was irritating. "Randy owed me a favor, he always liked the flashy cars."

"And how is he?"  
"Doing well, he and Linda had another kid and…" she faded off as she felt the gentle squeezing on her hand that she'd intertwined with Gibbs'. She looked down at him and found his blue eyes open and twinkling with mischief.

"I always thought you knew about that," he said.

"Ah Jethro, welcome back old friend," Ducky greeted.

"Duck…how's the team?"

"They're fine Jethro, I'm sure the Director could tell you more. I'll just go check up on Anthony." Ducky smirked as he left and turned back just as the door was closing to watch Jenny lean down and kiss Gibbs.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Aren't you supposed to be in LA?" He questioned.

"I was, came back early. It was boring anyway," she replied and he knew she had come back because she was worried.

"I didn't think it was on the news."  
"I only caught the tail end of the report but you hadn't called, so I was already worried," she explained. "Besides it was good to see Randy again."

"And Linda."

"Linda was home with the kids," Jenny said. "They just had a baby boy."  
"Oh really?" Gibbs remarked.

"Now Jethro…" She trailed off warningly. "Linda doesn't even work for NCIS anymore, so no complaining about Rule 12, besides you're breaking your own rule."

"That is hardly the same, its different." She laughed softly.

"So you want to tell me what happened?" She inquired.

"Didn't you talk to Ziva or Tony?

"Tony is on pain killers."

"Oh say no more, what did he do this time?"

"Something about a cat…"  
"Yea well we didn't know there was going to be a tiger there."  
"A tiger?"

"Well it was a guy dressed in one of those mascot suits and we didn't know he was carrying and then there was the rest of his group. It was interesting."  
"How'd you get shot?"  
"I didn't," he answered patting his side. "Knife." Apparently that wasn't the best way to put it because he noticed her eyes cloud over in tears and could see her trying so very hard to put on a brave face. He reached his hand as best he could and rubbed it up and down her arm, comfortingly. "Jen…"  
"You and your team are doing deskwork," she said finally. "You are like magnets for trouble."

"Jenny," he countered his tone a warning "No desk work." He kissed her hand softly.

"Desk work for two weeks."

"A week."

"Fine," she pouted slightly but agreed nonetheless. He patted the space beside him on the bed and she sat down slipping off her shoes before curling up beside him, taking great care to stay away from the injuries and wires.

"I'm glad you're home," he whispered into her ear.

"Me too."

"But those newspapers…"

"Jethro, shut up," she teased kissing him softly. They never noticed the audience they had attacked, but would have been glad to know that those viewing the tender moment were not gossipers.

_**Not that she's never done something crazy or done something wild  
It's just that she's better at doing whatever suits her style  
And that's not her style**_

"Gibbs is going to kill us," Tony commented as he watched yet another man come up and kiss the Director's hand, and no doubt making another comment.

"Relax Tony," Ziva laughed her eyes never leaving her friend's form. "She can handle a few old men."

"A few? Ziva there's like fifty that have made a pass at her in an hour," Tony protested.

"It's not like she isn't used to it," McGee piped up from the other side of the room through the communication links. "I can't imagine she's never had anyone make a pass at her."  
"You know she can hear us," Ziva pointed out as Jenny glanced over at them briefly.

"No she can't," McGee assured.

"Trust me she's listening."  
"Oh hold up," Tony interrupted the bickering.

"What now DiNozzo?" Ziva glanced over at the Director again and found her kissing the cheek of another man.

"Now Gibbs is really going to kill us." Tony made to move closer to the Director but Ziva had beaten him too it and he could now over hear the conversations.

"Randy, so nice to see you again."  
"Jenny, you're looking lovely, I can't believe you were allowed out."

"Oh I wasn't allowed out alone," Jenny replied gesturing toward Ziva who had slipped up behind her. Ziva simply nodded. "DiNozzo worried yet?"

"Only a bit more than a lot," Ziva responded.

"Good." Randy smirked at the words between the women.

"Let me guess, Gibbs sent his whole team to make sure you'd be safe. Surprised he didn't wire you like that time in…" He felt his head go forward. "Hi Boss."

"Randy." Gibbs nodded at Ziva who made herself scarce and retreated to Tony's side.

"Honestly Jethro," Jenny sighed knowing she should protest but finding it far to amusing.

"I was only doing his wife a favor," Gibbs replied gesturing to the woman approaching.

"Jenny it's been ages!" Linda greeted and the two women exchanged two kisses to each cheek. "Robert is here some place, just ran into him and told him the bad news."

"Bad news?" Jenny questioned.

"Oh…" She looked over at her husband who shook his head. "Yes, the flowers he sent us for the baby died within the first week."

"Well they're just flowers," Gibbs assured. Randy and Linda nodded enthusiastically.

"Speak of the devil," Jenny muttered as another man approached.

"Well, well Director of NCIS, and her bloodhounds."

"Robert."

"Hiya Boss," Robert quickly subdued himself. "So does the Director have time for a dance with an old friend?"  
"The Director is not dancing tonight," Gibbs answered for her. Jenny put her hands on her hips looking none too pleased.

"C'mon Boss, I'll have her back in time for curfew," Robert pleaded.

"Robbie," Linda hissed and the man looked over at the couple and noticed them roll their eyes in Jenny and Gibbs' director.

"Oh damn, really?"

"Really," Randy assured. Robert sighed and pulled out his wallet handing Randy a fifty-dollar bill. Randy looked at it for a moment.

"Hey isn't this the one…"

"The exact same, I figured it was sacred." Gibbs reached around both men and slapped them upside the head.

"I would have thought you two grew out of that," He sighed. "Linda…"

"Don't look at me, it was all Jenny." Gibbs turned to meet Jenny's eye, who was trying to look innocent but glared briefly at Linda.

"What's the fifty dollar bill about?"

"I have no idea what she's talking about Jethro," Jenny defended. He took one step toward her and the former team and current team waited with baited breath.

"He's not seriously going…"

"He's never done it before…" were whispered all the way around. Jenny held one hand up.

"Desk work Jethro, is easily arranged," she taunted and Gibbs nodded but Jenny knew the conversation was far from over.

"Ziva," Gibbs called said through the communications and the young woman meandered her way over. "Fifty bucks for?"  
"Ziva…" Jenny warned, but it turned out Ziva needn't say a word as Tony and McGee came over followed by Ducky who noticed the bill.

"Isn't that the bill, Jethro used in London?" He inquired.

"So much for that secret," Robbie sighed.

"Thank you Ducky," Gibbs answered having no trouble placing the memory. He gestured to Robbie and Randy again. They came closer. WHACK.

"Knew nothing, saw nothing," they recited.

"DiNozzo!"

"Right here Boss," Tony answered thoroughly amused that someone else had gotten whacked. Till he felt his head go forward. "Giving Ziva back the money, got it boss."

"How did I get stuck with you all?" Gibbs sighed aloud, he turned to Ducky who handed him a tumbler filled with bourbon and behind his back Jenny held out her hand for the bill.

"Why did we let you bet with us?"

"Cause you all wanted to lose," she replied, sliding the bill into her clutch.

"The Director placing bets?"

"She wasn't the Director when that one was placed," Gibbs announced.

"You knew, he knew?" Linda guessed and pointing at Jenny.

"I did not. I didn't know he knew about this particular bet, I knew he knew about others," Jenny answered sounding every inch the Director.

"So very Jenny like," Linda said and Ziva laughed in agreement and the two women began to chat, eventually the group broke up. Tony and McGee staying close only till Gibbs nodded that they could go.

"So they made a bet and Robbie won and they made another bet and Randy won."

"Robbie bet you wouldn't let me dance on the bar," She remarked noticing the faint smile that took over his face. "And I haven't got a clue as to what Randy won a bet for. He always lost these things," she commented.

"Well if Randy and Robbie finally grew up maybe there's hope for DiNozzo," Gibbs said nonchantly. He glanced at his current team to find them trying not to watch their conversation. "On second though, it is DiNozzo." Jenny laughed knowing there was pride behind that comment. She may not have known them at the beginning but she could see that Tony was the son Gibbs never had, and all the hard ass comments were simply signs of affection. "So how many other bets do you know about?"

"The only reason I heard about that one was because Linda asked me just how drunk I was," Jenny replied. Gibbs smirked at that; Jenny hadn't even finished one drink when he'd convinced her to do it.

"It accomplished the goal, we got the bad guy," he reminded.

"Hmm." She agreed. "So I think I've spent enough time kissing asses…" she trialed off. He smiled briefly. "Take me home?" Perhaps it was all the memories but he knew that those were the words she had whispered in his ear after their little trip to the bar in London. He simply nodded and placed his hand on her lower back guiding her through the crowd, signaling to his current team that they could go. His former team watched from afar and simply laughed. Everything was as it should be.

_**I've read where it's said that she sleeps in a bed made of satin  
She's had her face done in every place you can try  
They say she gets a piece of every lease in Manhattan  
And says she's thirty when she's really pushing forty-five**_

He laughed quietly as he picked up the paper the following morning and read the gossip section. He entered the bedroom trying not to make a sound and wake his companion. She was curled up on his side in a bed most defiantly not made of satin and he moved her slightly, sliding back in bed beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and continued to read the paper, a permanent smile etched on his face.

"What's so funny?" She questioned sleepily. He looked down at her, to find her bleary green eyes open. He leaned down and kissed her good morning. "Hi."

"Hi yourself," he greeted softly kissing her again. "And the paper is what's amusing."

"Don't tell me you read the gossip section?" She shifted so she was leaning against him sitting up and looked over his shoulder. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs you are a strange man."  
"But I'm your man."  
"That's true," she replied kissing him much more passionately. They broke off grinning at each other and she flipped the page to another column featuring her and began to laugh out loud.

"Now that sounds amusing."

"No, it's just…. I think I like these reporters," she pointed out the small print. He squinted trying to read it and she read it aloud. "The thirty year old Director is the youngest in history and is clearly a favorite among the other older men. Thirty…they think I'm thirty."  
"You look thirty," he replied.

"Sweet Jethro, really but honestly we both know thirty I am not."

"I won't tell," he whispered kissing her cheek. "Though it seriously makes you question where they get their facts."

"My birthrate is not so hard to find out."

"Nope its not," he put the paper down on the nightstand and shifted so he was leaning over her slightly. "So what is it, forty-five…" She tilted her head up to capture his lips effectively silencing the reminder of how old she really was.

"You're still older," she reminded as they broke for air.

"Apparently I'm not old enough to be counted among the men…" he trailed off.

"You should take it as a compliment, they're all a few years younger than you," she remarked kissing him again. Things were barley progressing when both phones started ringing. They broke apart again foreheads resting against each other.

"We need a vacation," she sighed rolling over to grab her phone as he picked up his.

"Gibbs."  
"Shepard." They both hung up a minute and a half later. "Cynthia says you have a case and you're team is freaking out."

"Well they're going to wish they'd let me sleep in, coming in?"

"Yea…I'll do some work or something."

"Feel like playing agent?"

"I can do that," she laughed searching for her jeans and sneakers. He pulled her back for a second kissing her soundly.

"No taking over."  
"Wouldn't dream of it," she assured kissing him back. She glanced out the window for a second and remembered the one small problem. "Ah Jethro, I don't have my car."  
"Stalled, I picked you up on the way, the scene is ten minutes from your house."

"Okay," she agreed, as they got ready. "Shower together or separate?" He grabbed her wrist and tugged her along to the shower. They were a bit late to the crime scene that day.

_**That's not her style I can tell you  
That ain't my woman  
It's just not her style I can tell you  
Because I'm her man**_


	10. Goodbye Earl

Title: Goodbye Earl 

**Rating: T for language, and mention of abuse and murder.**

**Disclaimer: "Goodbye Earl" Property of the Dixie Chicks, don't own NCIS either, just borrow the characters.**

**Summary: Because Earl had to die…Gibbs encounters a surprise in what appears to be a routine investigation. **

**Author's Note: Okay this started as just a songfic and kinda got a mind of its own. Just go with it. And its not done with the lyrics intersperse, but the lyrics are at the end. **

Gibbs hated having to travel to the middle of nowhere for investigations. He would have simply sent Tony and the rest of the team, but he felt the need to be defiant. Or rather piss of a certain Director of NCIS who had been MIA for the week. She had left him in charge, when he had causally inquired where she was rushing off to; she said it was personal. He ignored that, mainly because it said secret romantic getaway, and he didn't like that idea. However he had one thing going against the surmounting evidence of the romantic getaway, she'd been upset when she left. _No not upset,_ he corrected himself. _Distracted._ Admittedly he had first gone through all her emails but there was nothing overly alarming, except maybe the fact she missed a hair appointment. He'd then gone through the recent cases looking for something that had set her off, there wasn't anything.

Then they'd gotten this case. It had appeared to be an open shut drowning by suicide, except for the obvious blue tarp encasing the body. Apparently the locals had called them in when they found a base ID card. He'd gotten himself, his team, and Ducky on a plane. Abby was left behind mainly because she had plans, but so she would also be in the lab. While Gibbs knew he could covet her attention it really wasn't fair to the other teams. So now they were pulling up to the high school in the town, to talk to teachers as it was apparently a small town where everyone knew everyone else and secrets were nonexistent. He entered the high school followed by Tony and Ziva. McGee and Ducky had gone back to their police station to find some morgue like place. They were following the local Sheriff who was going on loudly about some such nonsense about the historical aspect of the town.

"Oh god lord Robert, do shut it!" An elder woman called from an office. "You'll talk these nice folks' ears off. I do apologize for that, how can I help you?"

"Ma this is Special Agent Gibbs and his team from NCIS, they're Navy Cops."  
"Yes dear, I do know what NCIS stands for, and how can we help you today?"

"Earl Massie," Gibbs answered. "His body was recovered from the lake about ten miles outside town."

"Finally found Earl, good lord he's been missing a while."

"He was murdered," Tony piped up and then backed off at Gibbs' glare.

"Murdered? Well I doubt any where he did it, though if you ask me, the poor girl is better off."

"Girl?" Ziva questioned.

"Had a wife, she was trying to get a divorce, Elizabeth. Last I heard she was living in Jenny's old place."  
"And Jenny is?"  
"Her best friend," the Sheriff supplied. "The two most beautiful girls in the whole town."

"Yes well," the woman continued. "Jenny's parents were well off, her father had a place just outside DC, took her to live there after high school graduation, Elizabeth stayed here."

"Good woman that Elizabeth," the Sheriff praised, admittedly Gibbs was more interested in the Jenny girl, but he didn't say so.

"You have a picture of both of them?" Gibbs inquired.

"Only of Elizabeth I'm afraid, 'bout ten years ago Jenny was in town while Elizabeth was in the hospital. She asked for all the photos of her to be removed and burned. I assumed it meant she was starting over, and then lo and behold I saw her just the other day at the corner store. Girl grew up that's for sure.

"Why was Elizabeth in the hospital?" Ziva asked.

"You'd have to ask her that. I'll give you directions." Tony and Ziva went with the older woman while Gibbs noticed the Sheriff's darkened glance.

"Something wrong?"

"That Jenny, when she left Elizabeth ten years, no one could understand it. Elizabeth never said what she was up to and they actually keep in touch. I thought for sure she'd gotten rid of Jenny as a friend."

"Jenny a bad character?"

"Robert! I told you not to be dissing her, that girl can still kick your ass!" The elder woman scolded coming out of the office. "Don't you listen to him, he's still sore that Jenny turned him down when they were in high school. Jenny made something of herself, always wanted Elizabeth to do the same. She's a good girl that Jenny." Gibbs led his team out and thought back to the Jenny knew. She sure hadn't acted like the Jenny he knew when he'd last seen her and she still wasn't answering her phone. Not that he was worried.

NCIS-NCIS

They had decided on a detour before they went to the address listed. They would stop by the police station and then the local clinic to see if anyone remembered why Elizabeth had been in the hospital in the week before Earl's death. Gibbs however was starting to wonder if perhaps the wife was responsible. She certainly had everyone fooled enough, _and its not like it wouldn't be the first time_, he thought irritated. Tony went across to the law office to pull the divorce file as Gibbs and Ziva entered the clinic.

"We were wondering if you could answer a few questions for us?" Ziva asked a passing nurse. The nurse glanced them over, but blinked twice as she noticed the insignia on the jackets.

"Anything for NCIS," the nurse replied. Gibbs and Ziva were slightly startled; most people didn't want to talk to them.

"We'd like to ask you about Elizabeth Massie," Gibbs began.

"Oh Elizabeth! Is she alright?"  
"Her husband was found murdered."  
"Oh Earl, he finally turned up? Never did like him, who killed him?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Ziva answered. "Can you remember anything about her stay here ten years ago?"

"Sure, Jenny came in, first time I'd seen her since graduation. Girl sure did look good," the nurse drifted off. "But anyway those two were inseparable in high school, I wasn't surprised Jenny came in. They talked for a long time and Jenny shattered a couple of coffee cups, which was unusual, girl-hated coffee when we were in high school. I think Elizabeth told her who attacked her, but Jenny never mentioned it. Elizabeth convinced her to go back home a week after Earl went missing, I thought perhaps there was trouble in the friendship, but all she ever said was that Jenny was needed elsewhere and that she wasn't injured to badly and she wasn't worried that Earl wouldn't be found. Man did like to drink a bit," the nurse explained. Ziva nodded in understanding, Gibbs however didn't like it. He wanted to speak to this Jenny character, but first it would be nice if he could speak to his Jenny. _She's not yours_, a voice reminded and he squashed it as he hit the speed dial, again it went to voicemail. She was ignoring the calls.

NCIS-NCIS

Jenny hit ignore for the fifth time that day as the phone rang and the caller id read Gibbs. She sighed this time. She really hoped it wasn't something completely drastic, but it was his cell phone, if he'd really needed her, Cynthia would have called. She opened the door to the hallway and went down in the kitchen looking it over with a faint smile while spotting her friend by the sink.

"Lizzie-la," she called out sweetly.

"Oh J-la, I just…" the tears started.

"Relax, Lizzie no one is ever going to know. I promise," Jenny vowed. She hated to see her friend in tears. She had remembered the time when she had vowed that she would never again she her best friend in pain.

_She ran into the hospital and a nurse pointed her in the right direction. She immediately entered the room and slid onto the bed wrapping her arms around her best friend. Lizzie looked surprised to see her but she shushed her protest and gently ran a finger over her friend's swollen black eye, and the cut on her cheek. _

_"Oh Lizzie, what did he do to you?"  
"Jenny, you…"_

_"Shush, it was Earl, that good for nothing son of a bitch," Jenny guessed. _

_"Oh Jenny, you don't have to…I'm sure your busy what with that job and…"_

_"Shh…we don't need to talk about me. Let's talk about you, I thought you were going to file for divorce?"_

_"I did." Jenny pieced together the rest of the puzzle._

_"Lizzie-la I'm sorry, why don't you stay with me in DC? You could stay at my house I won't be there for awhile I'm being sent to Europe, you could start over."  
"Jenny this is my life; I'm not like you. Not adventurous or daring or…"_

_"I am neither and you know it."_

_"Jenny, I can't leave this life."  
"Okay…I could arrest him?" Jenny suggested. _

_"Or kill him."_

_"I could do that too," She answered._

_"J-la I was kidding."_

_"Were you?" Hatred flashed into Lizzie's eyes and Jenny knew she would do anything to protect her friend. "I can help you, no one will ever know."  
"Jenny we're talking about murder!"  
"I shot a suspect the other day, I killed him on my first shot, I can do it Lizzie."_

_"Guns are messy."_

_"Poison?"  
"Traceable," Lizzie reminded. "But he is fond of alcohol. He'll pass out…"_

_"Dad used to keep a tarp in the shed."_

_"Still there."_

_"The trunk's big enough."_

_"What would we do with the body?" Lizzie asked._

_"The lake."_

_"I could convince him to go on a picnic with me, a starting over point."_

_"I'll be right beside you."_

She remembered what they had done. They both did, but neither was particularly sorry about it. Jenny felt she was justified in protecting her friend, Lizzie felt free. Jenny also knew there was no way they would get caught.

NCIS-NCIS

She had never told anyone where she'd been during her week off, and then she'd been on a plane to Europe. _And that ended so well_, a voice chided. She ignored it as she thought that the one person who might even suspect, she was guilty was safe in her office in DC.

"How's your Jethro?" Lizzie asked as they each opened a beer bottle.

"He's not mine, and I wouldn't know."  
"You might if you answered your phone," Lizzie teased.

"Hey, I answer my phone when it's important!" Jenny countered laughingly but her mind floated back to the newest phone between them.

"_Shepard."_

"_Jenny, it's…"_

"_Lizzie!" Jenny was genuinely excited to hear from her best friend and settled back in her chair and prayed Gibbs didn't decide to interrupt. "How are you?"  
"Jenny there's…" Jenny could pick up on her friend's distress, she hadn't sound that scared since she had called to say she was in the hospital nearly ten years ago._

"_Lizzie, what's happened?"  
"A body was recovered from the lake, it's him."_

"_Oh Lizzie," she sighed and glanced around her office. She couldn't have this conversation here. "Lizzie I'm catching the next plane down."_

"_J-la you don't have to, I know you're busy…"_

"_Never to busy for you Lizzie-la," Jenny assured. "I'll call you as soon as I know my information."_

"_See you soon." Jenny hung up and immediately left her office spotting Gibbs coming up the stairs. _

"_Jethro!" He looked startled and geared up for some sort of a fight, and so she beat him to the punch. "I need you to be acting director for a…week, at least."_

"_Some last minute conference Director?" he asked but Jenny was already heading back to her office._

"_Its personal Jethro. Thank you for taking over," she said grabbing her purse and coat and high tailing it out of there. She had been surprised he hadn't followed her, but he had called her._

"Where's the fire?"  
"Look things are just…I'll tell you when I get back alright? Now I won't have email, but I'll answer my phone if I can get service. Don't call unless there's a terrorist attack." She'd hung up on him, and got on a plane to her best friend.

"I still can't believe you just dropped everything in his lap."

"He can handle it," Jenny remarked. "And can we not talk about him, please?" She did not need her best friend and her heart gaining up on her.

"Sure, we won't mention another word about him, but I do wonder how you expect that to happen when you're the one who usually starts the conversations," Lizzie taunted.

"Lizzie!" Jenny replied in mock horror. A knock interrupted her friend's comeback and she felt strange, like her stomach had just flipped or something, but ignored it. "It's just the cops."

"I should get the door."

"I'll get it, Robert still has a crush on me," Jenny teased softly trying to ease her friend's worry. Jenny went to the door, composing herself and allowing her facial expression to reflect the Director she was. She knew without a doubt no one would figure it out. They just weren't smart enough, and no one, except Lizzie knew what she was capable of. She plastered a smile on her face, which fell the second she opened the door. "Jethro!"

NCIS-NCIS

Gibbs had pulled up to the older home. He noticed it was still in well-kept condition and momentarily thought that Jenny might like a house like that, before quickly banishing it. _Out of sight, out of mind_, he repeated to himself. _What a load of a shit_. He went up opting to knock on the door, he could hear faint voice inside and felt something sort of like his stomach flipping and his gut sure was acting up, but he ignored both for the moment.

"DiNozzo no flirting," he warned softly. And the door opened to a very familiar face.

"Jethro!" He was about as surprised to see her as to see what she was dressed in.

"Jen…" He responded trying to figure out what she was doing here, dressed like that.

"Director!" Came the combined gasp of Tony and Ziva.

"Jen…"

"You tracked me all the way down here," she accused.

"Actually I'm a little more concerned with the fact that your in the widow of a sailor's house."

"Sailor?" She questioned looking very confused.

"Earl Massie, worked on the base."

"Earl was a sailor?" She choked on that one. _Well that explains NCIS. _

"J-la who's at the door?" Jenny was not about to answer that and simply stepped to the side giving Lizzie an excellent view of the silver haired man with bright blue eyes and his two agents. She also didn't miss the yellow NCIS patch. Even if she hadn't seen a photo she would have no trouble placing the look hidden in her best friend's eye. _So I finally get to meet Jethro_. "You're agents?"

"Apparently Earl was working for the Naval base," she drifted off.

"I didn't know that, but do come in. Jenny just because they are your agents doesn't mean you get to tell them what to do in my house," Lizzie scolded and noticed the smirk spread across Gibbs' face till she caught Jenny's glare. "Now come in and make yourselves at home, I'll just grab some lemonade." Jenny looked about ready to bolt anyway.

"Uh I'll do that, I'm sure they must want to ask you about Earl," Jenny replied meeting her friend's eye and silently communicating that all would be well.

"Excellent," Lizzie replied. She held the door as she noticed Jenny give one more glare at Gibbs before moving toward the kitchen, she didn't miss the way Gibbs' eyes followed. "Well have a seat, and ask away."

"You don't seem to particularly torn up about your husband," Tony hinted.

"Well I've had ten years to mourn him, I just assumed we'd never know, but a suicide that's just terrible."

"You were trying to divorce him," Gibbs reminded. "He didn't want that to happen."

"Men don't typically want to lose what they perceive as theirs. Have you ever been divorced Agent Gibbs?" She could hear the clattering of cups and swore Jenny cursed.

"Multiple times."  
"Well then you know, that sometimes you just have to do what's best for you," Lizzie answered honestly and tried to keep her composure. She had no idea that she had just offered her friend up on a platter. _Jenny coached her_, Gibbs concluded. _That is most defiantly one of her lines_, he thought somewhat angrily. Jenny entered rather gracefully and placed the tray down, Gibbs was impressed she hadn't dropped it. He watched her sit down on the arm of the chair her friend was in he also noticed that she directed all her attention on to her friend. She hadn't met his eyes once.

"DiNozzo, Ziva, you two finish talking with Ms Elizabeth," Gibbs ordered. He got up and moved toward what appeared to be the kitchen, he had expected Jenny would follow but she didn't. "Jen…"

"What Jethro?"

"A word." He could see her struggle. Whatever she was hiding she didn't want to leave her friend to face it alone.

"Jenny it's alright, I'm sure you have work to talk about, I'll be fine here with Agent DiNozzo and Officer David," Lizzie said nodding in Gibbs direction. She glared once at DiNozzo and Ziva knowing they were at least somewhat afraid of her before she caught up and followed Gibbs into the kitchen.

"So you two know each other a long time."

"Jethro, I won't insult your intelligence, so don't insult mine. Just ask me what you want and get over with it," she countered.

"Where were you ten years ago?"  
"On a plane to Europe, with you." She answered.

"When Earl was murdered," he countered. She didn't respond. "Jenny, if you don't think I'll look up that week and see if it matches to the time he died, then you don't know me at all."

"Actually I thought you would have already known when you knew I was her best friend. Yes I was here; I stayed with Lizzie till she told me to go back to work. She was in the hospital."

"This house actually belonged to you," he informed.

"Yes it did, we lived here, my father had the town house. I signed it over to Lizzie after he died. She took much better care of it and it was a wedding gift so to speak."

"You weren't at her wedding." He stated, he could hear the regret in her voice.

"I was with my father, two weeks later he…died."

"And yet Lizzie didn't come to you."

"She tried, we talked on the phone a lot. She was…she helped temper the rage," Jenny explained glancing into the room at her blonde friend.

"And we all know how difficult that can be," she heard him mutter. She stepped around him going to the sink and finishing the dishes that were resting there. "What did you think of Earl?"

"I'm not surprised he's dead," she answered honestly; thankful her back was to him.

"You don't sound very heartbroken."

"He wasn't my husband."

"Your friend doesn't sound to broken up either, she sounds coached," he taunted knowing that would get a rise out of her and it did. He watched her straighten and turn back toward him for a second, her eyes flashing with some emotions that were to fast to identify, but one stayed, disappointment. He couldn't figure out why.

"You go in there, and treat her like some murder suspect and you're not the man I knew," she replied strongly. "She was not responsible for his death, if someone killed the bastard they should be awarded a medal." She paused and turned her head to meet his eyes making sure he understood. " Just like whoever killed a certain drug lord should be given a medal to."

"How are drug lords connected to this?" He inquired admittedly not so much as blinking as he acknowledged the fact that she wouldn't be pulling that card if she seriously didn't think her friend was innocent. She arched her eyebrow and took the acceptance for what it was, but she knew he would still needle her friend. She turned back to the dishes and heard his hand on the door handle. She took in a deep breath and realized she could very easily be giving all of the facts away if she said this, but she need to stop his gut in its tracks.

"Jethro, do you remember what happened in the Czech Republic?" She asked. She could feel the tension descend as it always did when they brought up their past.

"You took a round to the thigh." She rolled her eyes glad he couldn't see the gesture.

"Before that." She knew he had turned back to face her and was trying to work out a time that would have been labeled as not one of their fonder memories. They had been separated running through a town, he had found her eventually, but not after she had endured quite the beating. He had shot every one of the people in the room holding her captive.

_"Jethro, stop!" She ordered her hands taking hold of his. She had never seen him this angry before. "I'm fine, I'm safe." She whispered into his ear tentatively wrapping her arms around him. He dropped his gun and held her tighter, thanking every holy item that she was safe. He was never going to let her out of his sight again. He pulled back afraid he was hurting her and noticed her very prominent black eye. He was proud that she had given as good as she'd got but he was still worried. She'd been out numbered and he hadn't been there to protect her. _

_"We have to go, can you walk?" He asked softly, as soon as they found a safe place he was going to hold her and never let go. _

_"I'm fine, lets go," She followed him out of the under ground cellar and into the fading daylight. They'd stayed off the radar as much as they could and finally found a small inn just outside the town, they had barely enough but the people took pity on them and gave them a small room with a bed and bathroom. He had meticulously cleaned all her wounds and placed kisses over them before tucking her into bed and curling up alongside her holding her tight in his arms, his gun within reach. _

_"I won't ever let any one hurt you," he promised. "Again." He added somewhat sadly and she knew he was blaming himself._

_"Not your fault Jethro," she assured. "I'm fine. I'm safe."_

"I would kill anyone who harmed you," he swore and she knew he meant it, but chose not to think about it, instead kissing him softly.

"Yea," he shrugged after letting the memory leave him. He couldn't quite figure out how this fit into any of it.

"You remember what you told me?" she questioned.

"Yea," he answered with a shrug. This wasn't exactly something they talked about or had ever talked about again. He'd admit to seeing red when he'd seen her bruised face, things had just happened after that. He was also pretty sure she didn't know about the two guards he had killed on the way to find her.

"Good, now you can stop treating Lizzie like a suspect," she responded and he glanced at her and peaked out into the living room. He came up to stand along side her as she finished rinsing the last dish.

"So Earl…"

"Like I said, whoever killed him, good for them," she repeated and he caught it. He was glad he had come to stand along side her right side, because now he was almost positive who had killed Earl. His phone rang and he answered seeing it was Ducky.

"Jethro?"

"Yea Duck what is it?"

"Well I found our cause of death, someone snapped his neck." Gibbs looked over at Jenny. She was too small, sure he knew she was strong but there was no way in hell she could have taken down someone twice her weight without help and so he glanced into the living room and looked Lizzie over. _Looking more and more guilty_.

"Sure it wasn't from the fall?"

"Well it might have been, the man did drink enough to warrant owning a liquor store, or so McGee has determined from the locals," Ducky explained. "But the fascinating thing is that his neck was only half snapped, most defiantly painful, and more than likely done purposefully."

"Say that again Duck," Gibbs requested and the older man repeated himself, but Gibbs barely listened as he watched Jenny dry the dishes.

"Jethro this is ridiculous. I'm not stupid; I'm not going to bet you I could win. You were a marine for crying out loud," she protested as he led her down to the ring.

"_There's no such thing as an ex-marine."_

"_So I've heard," she sighed. _

"_C'mon Jen, if you beat me I'll buy dinner."  
"I broke the case, you should buy me dinner anyway," she teased. Since they had been told they would soon be going undercover together they had slowly be approaching the line of couple hood. There was no use in denying the fact they were attracted to each other, they would soon be together for who knew how long._

"_Jen come on, you're going to have to learn anyway."_

"_Fine Jethro," she sighed dramatically. Their fight had begun and he was surprised at how good she was. She was not just a physical distraction but mental as well. She could preempt every one of his strikes, for all the talk of no hand-to-hand she was pretty good. She knocked him to the ground by taking out his feet. "There, so no you owe me two dinners."_

"_You lied."_

"_Convinced you, did I? Guess I pass the Rule Eight test as well," she remarked. _

"_Cute, very cute. But you've barley incapacitated the guy, what if he was not so easily distracted."_

"_Well I wouldn't want to kill him, he'd be useful as a suspect." _

"So you only snap his neck half way, very painful, very effective." He had taught her how on a dummy and she'd picked up fast and was very good at it.

"Thanks Duck, I'll be in touch." He took one step toward Jenny when he heard Tony's voice from the other room.

"Boss another car just pulled up."

"Oh it's just Robbie," Lizzie said. "Jenny would you get the please?" Jenny appeared in the hallway Gibbs following. She opened the door to meet the Sheriff and smiled pleasantly, knowing without looking that Gibbs was glaring over her shoulder.

"Robbie, how nice to see you again."

"Jenny, and Agent Gibbs…" he looked between the two looking momentarily puzzled but she didn't miss his glance to her left hand. _Great, another rumor to be dealt with_, she sighed.

"Won't you come in Robbie, Lizzie's in the living room," Jenny said stepping aside. Robbie entered the house and noticed that Gibbs once again didn't move from Jenny's side.

"I didn't know you were in town, Jenny."

"Oh only for a little while, to help out Lizzie," Jenny answered.

"We still haven't heard what it is that keeps you away from us all the time," he reminded. Gibbs began to answer; Jenny clamped her hand over his mouth.

"It's a busy job, nothing special, just lots of traveling," she replied. He entered the living room and went straight over to Lizzie tipping his hat and glancing at DiNozzo before falling into conversation with her friend.

"Nothing special," Gibbs repeated. "Sure if you don't count being the Director of a Federal Agency nothing special."

"Shut up Jethro, no one down here knows that, no one except Lizzie."

"Yea they seem to think you were Prom Queen or something." She flashed a half smile that he knew meant trouble.

"Maybe I was," she countered before her face lost its smile as she heard Ziva mention the word Director gesturing in their direction. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he heard her mutter before she answered Ziva. "Yes well I'm sure Director Gibbs as the answer for that." She entered the room reclaiming her spot on the armrest next to Lizzie and glaring at Ziva and Tony.

"Well I was just saying, that I think Lizzie should be able to pay her respects at her husband's last resting place, if that's acceptable?"

"Oh sure, we'll go up with her."

"Well Robbie that's very thoughtful of you," Lizzie replied clearly not at ease with the idea.

"Perhaps after jam season," Jenny suggested taking her friend's hand in what was meant as a comforting motion, but was an act.

"Oh that's right," Robbie agreed. "Lizzie here makes the best jam this side of the Mason-Dixie line."

"Jam?" Ziva questioned.

"Oh its like jelly," Jenny answered. "But more like…what's the word…" she faded off thinking. "That stuff you put on matzo."

"Ah, oh that it is good," Ziva agreed understanding what her friend was talking about. Robbie looked at Jenny oddly for a minute.

"Well Jethro I know it's a long drive back to DC and…" Jenny began trying to get the team out. Lizzie however was determined to knock some sense into her best friend's head.

"Oh Jenny don't be ridiculous, they can't go back tonight. Why don't you all take me up to this lake, and you're all more than welcome to stay here," Lizzie said enjoying her friend's death glare, and the suggestion she noted sat well with Gibbs who quickly moved back to Jenny's side, glaring briefly at Robbie. _Poor boy,_ she sighed. She knew the kid never had a chance; Jenny needed a man who was her equal, _a man like Gibbs_.

Gibbs of course led his team out to the cars, Robbie following saying he could lead the way and if they need more space in the cars he could take someone. Gibbs declined saying Jenny would drive her own car and Lizzie knew she'd endure a ride back to town with Robbie if it left Jenny and Gibbs alone in the car. She noticed Tony and Ziva exchange glances as they watched them together and knew that they two would make every effort to stay out of the firing zone. Jenny and Lizzie grabbed their coats and put them on, they were just heading out the door when Jenny stopped her.

"What are you doing?"  
"What I do best," Lizzie answered.

"Matchmaking Lizzie is for high school!"

"Like you needed help catching a boy in high school, now it seems you do."  
"Lizzie you have no idea what you're doing!" The two women got in the car, Jenny driving and tailing the car Gibbs was in. "He's going to find out."  
"Find out what? That you love him, good."

"You know perhaps I should be glad he would never believe it, even if I said it, but that's not what he's going to find out."

"Jenny you told me no one could ever figure it out, it was pure genius."

"Of course I never thought anyone would figure out, I didn't think Leroy Jethro Gibbs would be investigating."

"He knows your tell," Lizzie concluded finally understanding the gravity of everything.

"Yes, he does."

"Jenny you were his partner, now you're his boss, don't you have anything against him?"

"Not nearly as much as he has against me."

"Nothing?"

"One thing I could never use, the other, he could easily deny and it would be impossible for me to prove."

"And what he has against you?"

"Paris."

"He was sort of involved in that."

"He covered for me when I shot that guy in the shootout, he never told anyone about the boat, or at least no one who cared, he could easily reveal who I am to the guys who think only he's responsible for putting them away, when it was me, and have I left anything out? Oh yes, having an affair."

"Jenny he wouldn't…"

"I use any of what I have against him and my career is done. Hell I wouldn't have had a career if it weren't for him."

"That can't sit well with you," Lizzie commented. "But that's not what's bothering you the most."

"Lizzie."

"What's bothering you is that you're afraid he's going to think less of you, that he'd be disappointed in you, which is understandable." She finished as they pulled up near the lake. The two sat back a moment watching the scenery. "We never really figured out the what if clause did we?"

"I'll take the fall," Jenny said looking at her friend's form and being reminded of her promise to herself.

"J-la…"

"No. If it happens act surprised, act shocked and devastated, act betrayed, he'll buy that," Jenny explained.

"Jenny, you're…"

"He knows how relentless I can be, I almost killed La Granouille in my house, he wouldn't think it to far a stretch to think I would murder my best friend's husband to protect her."

"Will he protect you?"

"If I were him, I wouldn't." She got out of the car and watched as Lizzie did the same. Robbie came over and began to escort Lizzie down the path, Tony and Ziva following. Jenny glanced briefly at Gibbs and turned to follow. She felt the clasp of metal around her wrist and froze. "Not in front of her," she pleaded softly. She felt him push her ahead and off the path toward the edge where she knew there was an over hang. He spun her around to face him and she found that he had clasped the other half of the cuffs around one of his wrists.

"A body of water is the perfect place to dump a body," he recited meeting her eyes and she knew she had at one point said that to him. "If I dredge the marina where the frog's boat is am I going to find his body?" She was surprised at his question, surprised that he was simply asking for that clarification, she met his eyes, so he wouldn't have to force her.

"If it is, I didn't put it there." He watched her, not one of her eyes moved, not even the faintest of twitches.

"If I tell Tony to arrest her…"

"I can point out that you tampered with evidence during a murder investigation, something I'm sure not even Ducky suspects, even though the odds of Abby actually getting a match are…astronomical," she watched the surprise on his face. "But I'm not going to, because you're not going to arrest her. You're going to arrest me."

"You'd take the fall…" He faded off looking at her.

"Lizzie didn't snap his neck, I did that… she just helped with the cleanup," Jenny confessed.

"I taught you how to do that," he reminded.

"I know," she replied glancing down at the forest floor. "To be honest I thought I'd gotten away with it, never really thought the one person who could figure it out, would ever stumble across it and even then, I certainly didn't expect the pieces to be connected."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned tilting her head up to meet her green eyes.

"Jethro we'd been partners for four months…I didn't know you well enough," she said.

"And after…"

"I can safely say I never lose sleep at night because of it," she answered and he could tell just how little thought she'd given it in the past ten years. "He had to die Jethro…if you'd seen her, in the hospital, so helpless…here I was off doing whatever the hell I pleased and my best friend was miserable."

"You couldn't have…"

"None of my relationships ever go well, she's the only one I haven't screwed up with. I couldn't let her be miserable. I tried to get her to come with me, back to DC. She could have stayed at my house, started a new life, but she said this was her life. So I fixed it so she would be safe well I was away."

"What happened?"

"She invited him for dinner. I waited in the kitchen; she let him drink as much as he wanted. He finally passed out and we carried him to the car in the tarp. We we're going to just dump him and make it look like a suicide drowning," she drifted off glancing over the cliff's edge. "She went to grab some stones to load his pockets with. He was waking up…I saw red Jethro, I just…I bent down and snapped his neck part way. I wanted him to suffer the way he'd made her suffer. She came back and we loaded the pockets wrapped him in the tarp and tossed him."

"She didn't know you'd snapped his neck?"

"Not till after and even then not directly. She could deny it legitimately." She finally lost her strength and slid down the tree trunk to the ground where she sat. Her movement and forced him to follow, forgetting for the second they were attached. She glanced over apologetically but turned away just as his eyes met hers. He sat beside her toying with the idea of wrapping his arms around her.

"How did you know about the drug lord?" He asked, not denying it. She looked over at him and glanced back toward the water.

"Brain Dempsey."

"The guy who kidnapped you?" He questioned incredulously. "How does that have anything to do with…anything?"

"He's dead Jethro, you shot him."  
"Because he had a gun to your head."

"Uh huh, and I wasn't even a wife," she remarked.

"So that's how you jumped from one conclusion to another," he tried to follow the thought process but even to him it was a bit convoluted.

"Not exactly, I made a few stops along the way."

"Like?"

"Ari. Those men in the Czech Republic. It wasn't very hard to jump to that, its what I would have done."

"But you didn't."  
"If La Granouille is still alive, I will kill him Jethro. I won't hesitate this time," she stated. Gibbs opened his mouth to say something but was stopped

"Hey Boss, you coming?" DiNozzo's voice carried through the woods.

"We're coming," he snapped back and heard Ziva scolding Tony and reminding him of Rule 38. Jenny heard the rule too and glanced at Gibbs.

"Rule 38…I don't remember that one."

"It never applied to you," he answered standing up and pulling her to her feet. He unclasped the handcuffs and put them away she seemed somewhat surprised. "Shall we?" He led her back to the path and they began to head in the direction Tony's voice had come from.

"Jethro, there you are!" Ducky's voice called from behind them Ducky was standing in the path with McGee beside him.

"Ducky."

"Director, what a surprise," Ducky looked from Gibbs to Jenny trying to figure out how the redhead had gotten there with no one mentioning it.

"Jethro, if Ducky and McGee are here, whose running my agency?"

"Abby," he answered as he walked back toward Ducky. "What's up Ducky?"  
"Well Jethro based on my findings I would have to conclude that someone probably smaller than our victim is responsible for his death, perhaps the wife?"

"Is it possible it was an accident, the fall from the cliff?"

"The tarp Jethro clearly indicates murder."  
"And if he was just wrapped in it, maybe to sleep or something..." Gibbs led Ducky.

"Possibly, yes, than I suppose its possible that it was an accident."

"Good, we've found no indication of foul play then," Gibbs informed.

"Well then I shall rule it accidental suicide by drowning," Ducky agreed looking from Gibbs to Jenny wondering what was going on there.

"I'll go break the news to Lizzie," Jenny said stepping away from Gibbs and heading off down the trail. She needed to be far away from him in that moment. He had covered for her, protected her, when she most definitely didn't deserve it, _maybe he did think I would betray him._ She didn't think that was the case, she had done lots of things to Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but she had never betrayed him. She continued down the path finally coming to the opening at the end and found Lizzie standing at the edge of the dock, Robbie, Tony and Ziva waiting at the beginning.

"She wanted a moment to say goodbye," Robbie informed while Tony and Ziva rolled their eyes. They clearly didn't think she was a grieving widow, but were apparently following Gibbs' lead on this one. Jenny nodded to them and watched Ziva take a step to follow her. She glanced back and shook her head, Ziva stepped back to Tony's side, but her eyes never left her friend's form. Jenny walked slowly on the dock and out to the edge to her friend's side.

"It's over," she said softly. "Ducky is going to rule the death accidental suicide by drowning."

"There was nothing accidental about the tarp."

"Apparently he was probably sleeping in it, rolled off the edge, snapped his neck, ended up in the water," Jenny explained.

"That's not the way it happened," Lizzie reminded.

"No its not."

"You snapped his neck Jenny."

"You already suspected that," Jenny replied. She wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder and they tilted their heads together. "He lied for me."

"In the interest of friendship I shall resist from saying I told you so."

"Lizzie," Jenny sighed exasperated. Lizzie smiled in return and they both stood watching the stillness of the lake.

Gibbs had come to the edge of the path and could see part of his team waiting at the beginning of the dock and Jenny and Lizzie at the end. He had no doubt she was telling her friend what had happened, he watched McGee head down to Tony and Ziva no doubt repeating everything he had seen and heard to his 'older siblings'. Ducky stepped along side him and he could hear his friend heave a sigh.

"Something wrong Duck?"

"What did she do this time?" Ducky inquired skipping the pleasantries.

"Who? Ziva?"

"Jennifer." Gibbs was momentarily stunned by the use of her name but said nothing. "Jethro, the girl is hardly a junior agent now."

"Of which she never ceases to remind me."

"Jethro, all jokes aside. What does she have to do with this?"

"What makes you think she's involved?"  
"You're covering for her, just like that time she shot that guy…"

"She didn't shoot anyone," Gibbs answered sternly. Ducky nodded in agreement, but refused to let the matter drop.

"Jethro she's not your partner anymore, rule one doesn't apply."

"She was my partner ten years ago, rule one applied then."

"You're protecting her because ten years ago she did something…foolish?"

"Ducky…"

"What does she have on you?"

"Nothing," he replied and he knew it to be true. Even if she knew the truth, she couldn't

prove it, not beyond a reasonable doubt. As he thought about it, he realized that was true for this as well. She could have lied during the confession, there was no way he could prove she was ultimately responsible for the death of Earl Massie. For some reason, that brought pride to his heart, she'd learned well.

"You can't prove she did it, can you?"

"Neither can you, Duck, you just told me it could be accidental," Gibbs reminded. His friend sighed again.

"You would think with all this protecting you two do of each other, you'd just realize that you're protecting yourselves."

"How so Ducky?"

"Well you're protecting her, because she has your heart, she's protecting you because you have hers…really Jethro any junior agent could figure it out, if they thought about it long enough, but of course they don't know she's protecting you, and you're rarely so obvious that you're protecting her, so it could just be conjectures on my part."

"Ducky…" Gibbs trailed off glancing at the docks again and noticing the Sheriff's frequent glances toward Jenny.

"You should have just said she was your wife," Ducky commented upon noticing Gibbs line of vision. Gibbs smirked at that and walked down toward the dock, past the puppy dog Sheriff. _No wonder Jenny always said if she wanted someone to follow her around she'd get a dog._ He walked straight out on the dock.

"Hey Boss, you should be careful…"

"DiNozzo shut it," he snapped back.

"But Gibbs!" Ziva protested.

"Boss you really should…" McGee faded off. Jenny and Lizzie had turned to find Gibbs almost with arms distance.

"Jethro you shouldn't…" She heard the crack in the wood and watched as the boards fell out and Gibbs…Gibbs ended up in the water.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted when he came up.

"I tried to tell you Boss," Tony replied as he came running up.

"Jethro it would be easier if you just swam under and came up at the edge there's a ladder," Jenny explained.

"Or you could just give me a hand." She sighed. She and Lizzie were closer to him then Tony, Ziva and McGee, but she didn't trust the gleam in his eye.

"Come on Jenny, you don't want your agent getting pneumonia," Lizzie encouraged.

"You never could things the easy way," Jenny remarked as she held out her hand. Lizzie held onto her but let go just as Gibbs tugged. Which given the magnitude and direction of the velocity ended with Jenny in the water right along side Gibbs. The team of course fell silent; or rather Tony, McGee, and Robbie fell silent. Ducky, Ziva, and Lizzie laughed. "Lizzie!"

"Sorry Jenny, you just slipped. You were probably right on the ladder thing," Lizzie spurted out in between her laughter. Jenny splashed the water at her friend, before ducking under and swimming under the dock. She popped up on the other side and looked around for Gibbs. Chances were if he was out of sight, it was bad for her.

"Where's Gibbs?" She asked the rest of the team. They pointed to the caved in porting they'd just been in.

"You gonna tell me how to get out of here?" She heard him say.

"Ridiculous," she muttered ducking back under and carefully swimming back under the dock. She opened her eyes to the murky depths and found him treading water. She swam a little deeper taking hold and pulling down, he went under, but wasn't fast enough to catch her and she came to the surface followed by him moments later. He glared at her but she simply smiled innocently.

"Jenny you don't think they're still water snakes do you?" Lizzie inquired.

"Snakes?" Jenny coughed. She felt something slide across the small of her back and kicked out instinctively. The loud grunt told her she'd gotten her target.

"Jen…aim." He grunted. She swam closer and met his eyes.

"Do that again and I'll aim lower," she whispered. "Now are you coming or not?"

"Sure," he replied swimming alongside her. He watched his team out of the corner of his eye and noticed DiNozzo and McGee with the camera. "Ziva!"

"On it Gibbs." She whacked both of them and the camera hit the ground.

"Zee-vah!" Tony whined.

"DiNozzo, don't make me drag you in here!"

"Boss…" Tony's protest was a mixture of 'not me' and 'please don't be hurt.' "Hey Director, do you think if Gibbs' needs CPR again…"  
"Oh no, Tony," Jenny replied treading the water. "You enjoyed it so much the last time, I wouldn't want to take away the pleasure."

"And what if you need CPR?" Gibbs countered.

"Planning on drowning me?"

"No, but seriously…"

"Ziva can do it, Tony will be too busy reviving you."

"Hey Ziva I'll trade you?" Tony begged.

"Ziva!"

"On it Gibbs." She whacked Tony upside the head.

"So you ready?" Jenny asked Gibbs.

"I'm kinda enjoying it."

"Well I'm cold, so let's go or I can leave you here."

"Aww c'mon you love it."

"Honestly, I'd rather be in bed."

"That can be arranged," Gibbs replied quietly.

"Asleep!" She clarified.

"You never could pace yourself." She dunked him, now the team watched on in amusement, they hadn't heard the conversation, but they were betting it had been good, especially if Ducky was laughing so hard. Jenny had dunked him and immediately let go as she felt two hands grab her waist and tug. She went under as well and kicked as hard as she good to be back at the surface. Both she and Gibbs came up spurting water.

"Children, if you're quite finished," Ducky chastised. Jenny glared at Gibbs and dove under the water, Gibbs followed her, his eyes stinging as the water hit them. He followed Jenny through the opening at the bottom. She was hovering in the water above him waiting, and he swam up to her and they broke the surface on the other side. He followed as Jenny swam to the edge and found that the ladder had basically disintegrated.

"Lizzie!"

"Jenny you may as well swim to the shallows," Lizzie answered.

"But…"

"Oh Tony and McGee helped me over the whole."

"DiNozzo what did we talk about?" Gibbs demanded. He heard the tell tale slap as the younger man hit himself.

"Jethro if he has a concussion one of these days I'm blaming you," Jenny sighed as she pushed off the dock and started swimming toward the shallows. The team had made their way back toward the end of the dock and was waiting their backs turned to the water. Gibbs took advantage of that and swam along side Jenny.

"So about that bed…" Jenny turned to stare at him in disbelief.

"You can sleep on the floor," she replied increasing the speed of her strokes, till she felt his hand grab her ankle and pull her to a stop. She treaded water as he came along side her again.

"Ducky knows."

"Great, well I don't suppose you convinced him that it was accidental."

"He's filing it as such." She nodded.

"Thank you Jethro," she said gratefully and looked back toward the shore where she could easily make out Lizzie's grin and Robbie's glare.

"So this Robbie kid…" She looked over at Gibbs and blinked as she tried to place the expression on his face. _Jealousy…defiantly jealousy. _

"We went to high school together," she began as they started swimming back again. "He had a crush on me for three years, I…I wasn't allowed to date in high school, my father…"

"Don't feel bad, I would never have let Kelly date. Ever."

"I hate to point out to you that if my father had enacted that rule, Paris wouldn't have happened."

"Good point, but he would have liked me," Gibbs assured. Jenny privately thought he would have been the only man her father approved of, but she didn't say so. "So anyway, not allowed to date, so you turned him down like a good girl and…"

"Well I was on the swim team, and in the 4H club with Lizzie, and FFA and so…"

"Wait you were on the swim team?" Gibbs inquired. She just shot him a glare that told him to stop picturing whatever it was he was thinking. "Okay so 4H, explains your love for animals…and the FFA, not a surprise."

"Anyway…" She began again. "Robbie always had a crush on me and my senior year, Lizzie actually agreed to go to a dance with him. Mainly because she knew I wouldn't want to have a date and she figured she could ditch Robbie and we could bail early, because after graduation I was going back to DC to stay with my father before I went to college. So…I was prom queen, gave my crown over to Lizzie, than we bailed and I never saw Robbie again, till today. From what I gather I feel out of his favorites list when I went and made something of myself, he's under the impression women should be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen."

"Now there's an image," Gibbs mumbled and felt the water splashed at him.

"I heard that."

"So the stiletto heels, business suit, and office with the view he doesn't like."

"He thinks I've changed, you know he's a cop but I can count on one hand the number of dead bodies he's seen. He just doesn't get it."

"And he's never killed anyone." She glanced over at him.

"No, he hasn't. He has no clue what I do, he just knows he doesn't like it and he thinks it's a bad influence on Lizzie."

"Is it?"

"Hardly, she keeps me grounded. She sees what I do, knows what I can do, and she's okay with that. You couldn't ask for a better friend," Jenny explained as they reached the shallows.

"And she's a matchmaker," he commented as he watched the blonde woman nudge Ziva in Tony's direction. Jenny looked over and chuckled.

"Yes, that she is, I'll deal with it," she responded knowing how he felt about romance between agents. She went to go break it up when he grabbed her arm and held her in the shallows.

"I want to see what happens."  
"Jethro that's playing with fire, don't tell me you can't see the similarities?" She questioned.

"They're different," he assured. She studied the two and watched them carefully. There was a softness missing, but she knew it would take long to grow.

"For now," she predicted sadly. She again moved to the shallows grateful as Lizzie came up to her with a blanket that someone must have gotten from one of the cars. Lizzie wrapped her up in and held her close.

"So I left you two out there long enough…" Lizzie trailed off. Jenny met her friend's eyes and laughed.

"Nothing happened."

"You're kidding?"

"I make sure you end up drenched, give him plenty of time and nothing?" Lizzie was in major shock. She had been sure she would have been able to give her friend a good gift in return for taking the fall.

"Lizzie…" Jenny sighed.

"Don't you Lizzie me, you can't tell me he doesn't look good drenched?" Lizzie nodded in Gibbs' direction and Jenny spotted him, the shirt clinging to his body and she quickly made sure her eyes hit the ground. The thoughts racing through her head need to be controlled and banished someplace. "Yum. If he wasn't your guy…"

"Lizzie!" Lizzie smirked again, _that was jealousy._

"Well if you're not going to go stake territory, maybe you should stop him from killing poor Robbie with a look," Lizzie remarked turning her friend to face the two men. She also noticed the rest of the team standing off on the sidelines, Ducky shaking his head in exasperation as the two men glared at each other.

"Dr. Mallard, something the matter?" Jenny inquired in her best Director voice as she approached them.

"Just Gibbs, being Gibbs," Ducky answered. "Reminds me of when Stephanie was in the office and…"

"Ducky, I get it," Jenny snapped hushing the doctor's comparison. She'd kick herself for this later, but right now it was time to put this ridiculous territorial pissing match to an end. She was more amused than anything else, if Gibbs seriously thought Robbie might enter her affections he didn't know her at all. _And its not like he really gets a say does he?_ She knew that was a lie to, he always had a say, mainly because of that small detail that he had managed to take her heart captive and never ransomed it back.

"Jen is…"

"It's Jenny," Robbie corrected, clearly not pleased with the shortening of her name. She had never liked it much either, till Gibbs said it and then…well that was an entirely different matter.

"Jethro, we should probably head back to town. Change clothes," She suggested coming to stand beside him, she knew it was important that she stood closer to him than to Robbie. It would certainly put an end to the match. He turned his head slightly to meet her eyes and she could see some unnamed emotion fade and a sparkle begin to appear. He slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer and she was momentarily stunned.

"Okay," he agreed leading her toward the path and up it. "We'll take the kids home too."

"Kids?"

"Yea, frick 'n' frack, and Ziva," Gibbs answered teasingly. He knew the team had fallen in step behind them, Ducky and Lizzie following. Jenny glanced over her shoulder to see Lizzie and Ducky grinning like the cat that got the canary. Robbie had caught up to Lizzie, and was offering her a ride home, to which Jenny was surprised she accepted.

"Lizzie what about your car?" Jenny questioned.

"Oh right, well Jenny you can drive it and not get the rental soaked," Lizzie said. Jenny sighed again. _Matchmaking again_, _try for subtle next time Lizzie-la_. They reached the cars and Jenny and Gibbs waited for the others to leave before Jenny put the car in reverse and then threw it into park again. Gibbs looked at her wondering what the problem was now.

"Jen?"

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?"  
"Ducky figured it out on his own," Gibbs reminded.

"I'm guilty of murder, I thought you were always after the truth."

"I figured out the truth."

"Justice for the victims?"

"Lizzie has justice."  
"So you're just going to overlook the fact I killed someone in cold blood."

"Revenge is hardly cold blood," Gibbs assured. "Besides I can't blame you for doing what I would have done, seems a bit hypocritical don't you think?"  
"I didn't tell you the whole truth."  
"I'm used to that," he said. "Besides you had no reason to trust me at the time."

"So that's it?" She said meeting his eyes. "You're just going to ignore the fact…"

"You told me the truth, you don't have to tell anyone else," he responded, taking her

hand that was resting on the gearshift. She studied his eyes for a second and glanced down at their joined hands.

"Why are you doing this?"

"You could lose your job Jen," he tried.

"You hate my job." He figured that was an entirely different argument.

"I don't hate your job." To be addressed at an entirely different time.

"Why are you doing this Jethro?" She said again not accepting the answer. If he was going to worm out of this one, he was sadly mistaken.

"Because you wouldn't use any of the information against me," Gibbs said finally. "And because I would have helped you." She put the car in reverse and turned it around merging back onto the road. He assumed that meant the answer accepted.

"So pulling me into the lake?"

"I did not pull you, Lizzie let go of you; it was gravity."

"Likely story," she responded.

"It's the truth," he protested. "Not that I minded the view." She ignored that but to the turn just a little bit sharper than she needed to. "You finally learned to drive."

"I could drive Jethro, what you did was attempting to fly in car. Must've rubbed off," she shrugged her shoulders.

"Fine, fine." He paused starring at her. She had that smile that he knew meant trouble. "So about that bed…"

"We are not driving all the way back to DC."

"No…." He drawled. He didn't get where this was going.

"So I'll drop you at the inn you're staying at, and I'll go home." She caught the pout; _he never liked it when things didn't go his way._ The pout vanished as quickly as it appeared and was replaced with a slight smirk. She hated that, usually it involved her and trouble. They build into Lizzie's driveway just behind the others and there was some small talk, until finally Gibbs had taken his team and left. Robbie was determined to protect the house, just in case someone was going to bother the two ladies out in the middle of nowhere. Gibbs hadn't been to worried, he'd seen Jen's gun. So he simply waited till dark and took the car and went for a drive from the inn. He happened to end up at this particular driveway; he found some small pebbles and wandered around to the side of the house. He was glad he'd parked the car down the road; he could see Robbie asleep at the wheel of his patrol car. It was a good thing Jenny had her own gun. So he wandered around the side of the house and tried to judge which window belonged to which room, till he heard the back door open. Lizzie stepped out with her dog and the dog immediately looked towards Gibbs.

"I thought Jenny said you were a marine," Lizzie called into the darkness.

"How…"

"Oh please, like you're the first guy to come toss stones at a girl's window. You know how many times she covered for me," Lizzie laughed quietly.

"How many times did you cover for her?"

"Not even a one, but I suppose that is a debt I could repay. Down this side of the house, third window from the right, she closed it because of the draft. Her phone's on her nightstand, and her gun is under her pillow. I assume she learned that from you?"  
"Or Ziva," he answered. "So you're her best friend."  
"One and only," Lizzie answered.

"You wouldn't…"  
"Agent Gibbs, she and I keep our secrets closely guarded, anything she may or may not have told me about you is kept under lock and key, but if you screw this up…well I'm sure Agent DiNozzo would love to know his Boss tried to write sonnets."

"Point taken. She asleep?"

"If you call tossing and turning asleep," Lizzie said calling the dog back to her. "Enjoy the night, just make sure to remind her there's vines that grow near that window. And don't quote Rapunzel, she hated that fairytale." Lizzie reentered the house and watched from the window until Gibbs disappeared round the side.

Gibbs counted the windows till he found the one Lizzie had described. _Alright this worked in high school_, he just hoped his aim was still good. He tossed one and it bounced of the windowpane. _Forget about the return_, he ducked as he threw the next one. Nothing, not even a light going on, he was seriously beginning to think this wasn't her room, but he tried again and this time the light went on and he could hear faint cursing. He could see her silhouette looking around trying to figure out what sound was disturbing her and so he tossed another pebble, _right on target_. She turned to the window and threw them open, looking out. She looked down and he could see her surprise.

"Jethro, what the hell are you doing?" She demanded.

"Well I thought I could try Rapunzel, but I've been told you're not a fan, so I was thinking Shakespeare."

"Shakespeare? Are you nuts?"

"Well you said we couldn't drive back to DC tonight, but its tomorrow so we can go back now," he said glancing at his watch noticing it was just past midnight. She looked down at him in shock; she didn't think she'd ever been…well whatever it was he was doing. "Come on Jen, haven't you ever snuck out?"  
"I can't just leave, Lizzie will be worried if I'm not here later."

"Like she wouldn't guess." Jenny's ears picked up the distinct sound of her friend's giggling and stepped away from the window. She opened the door to spot her friend standing there eavesdropping.

"You put him up to this?"

"Me? Hardly, it woke me up, I came to see what was wrong."

"Lizzie!"

"Oh shush, c'mon you want me to go bring him some of the sonnets you saved? Maybe he could try that?"

"You've lost it."  
"I'm your best friend, I'm simply concerned for your well being. Now go climb down the vine Juliet." Jenny's eyes widened further.

"I could just go out the front door."

"Lizzie, Jenny!" Robbie's voice sounded from the front.

"Shit!" Jenny cursed. She searched the room and found a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. "I cannot believe I'm doing this." Jenny peaked her head out of the window and found Jethro leaning against the house. "Jethro if I fall and break my neck I'm going to haunt you."

"I'll catch you."

"Right," she said.

"Lizzie, is everything alright, I heard noises and is Jenny alright?" Robbie's voice echoed up the hallway.

"Crap." She scanned the side of the house, and found a vine giving it a good tug. It seemed strong enough but she looked down, she hadn't really ever enjoyed heights.

"Oh come on Jen, don't tell me you're still scared of heights!" Gibbs teased.

"I am not scared of heights," she whispered trying to climb out the window without looking down.

"Uh huh, the whole time we were on the Eiffel Tower you clang."

"I don't remember you complaining," Jenny shot back as she pulled herself onto the ledge. She shimmed down the vine but about ten feet from the ground she heard the telltale snap. She had expected to land on the unforgiving ground, but felt something hard, but not necessarily ground underneath her. She turned slightly and found Gibbs had somewhat caught her.

"You need to work on the landing," he teased. She swatted him lightly and he grabbed her hand before deciding to roll them so she ended up on her back. "And gain some weight, you're too thin."

"I think I'll take that as a compliment," she replied trying to ignore the tingling sensation running through her. "Now you going to let me up."

"Kinda comfortable, actually," he teased her.

"Lizzie are you sure Jenny's asleep?" Robbie's voice came through the open window.

"Unless you want to get shot at, we should probably leave," she suggested but even that didn't make him move. _Well two can play at this_, she decided, she locked her arms around his neck and shifted one leg rolling them over so she ended up on top. He looked momentarily stunned; like he had the first time she had done that…_Stop. Bad Thought_. She quickly got up and offered him a hand, which he accepted and they turned back toward the edge of the house.

"Car's this way," he said quietly as he led her through the edge of the woods. They got to the car and got in. He kept the lights off till they were back on the road and he turned out toward the lake.

"We're not seriously going back to DC."  
"Nah, I heard about this place near the lake."

"The cliffs. Not that easy Jethro," she taunted.

"That wasn't the name I heard," Gibbs pouted again, but she knew they had passed the cliffs a couple minutes later and so instead decided she may as well enjoy the scenery. "So this is where you grew up?"

"You sound surprised."  
"I always thought you went to boarding school."

"Hardly, though it felt that way when my father stayed more at the townhouse and just left me here. That's why Lizzie and I ended up such good friends. I spent a lot of time with her family." They pulled up to a clearing right along side the lake on the opposite side of the lake from where they'd been earlier. He got out and she followed looking around. Nothing. _All right, I give._ "So what are we doing out here?"

"Well I thought we could watch the meteor showers," he suggested taking out some camping mats and blankets from the trunk as well as a case of beer.

"Meteor showers?"  
"I heard McGee say something about them," he shrugged as if it wasn't out of the ordinary from him to do something this…_well romantic actually_, she thought. "DiNozzo wanted details said it's a great pick up line." _And there it goes. Well he tried._ She helped him lay out the mats and sat down next to him. It was with surprising ease that they curled up next to each other under the blankets and she simply laid her head on his chest, pulling the blanket tighter to her.

"So when do these meteor showers start?"

"I don't know I just caught that they were tonight and I thought seeing as you dragged me through that planetarium that you might like that. And seeing that we live in the city you don't get to see them that much."

"I didn't drag you anywhere, you went willingly," she reminded rather touched that he actually remember how interested she'd been. But that was Jethro for you, always remembering the little things and when he could figure out how to communicate he did a good job, but mostly it was through other methods, _like dragging you out in the middle of the night to see a meteor shower._ She felt his hand lightly rubbing her back, no doubt trying to make sure she hadn't been hurt in her fall, but she really wished he'd either stop or not stop, she couldn't decide. When he touched her that way she tended to forget where she was or who she was.

"Hm hm," he agreed. "So any other skeletons I should know about?"

"I was taken into custody when I was twelve for going cow tipping," she replied seriously. She felt his laughter rumble through his chest and she was sure he had an image to go with it. "And I dyed my hair blonde, once."

"No?" He protested.

"Yep, really didn't like it though," she remembered.

"Red hair suits you," he said. She wouldn't even comment on that, but half the time she wondered if he missed her flaming red hair as she did, now it was just sort of tinted red. "This shade particularly."

"They say stress induces grey, apparently I'm under stress. I have to go get it done now."

"It happens," he replied. He tightened his grip on her, for half a second as he heard a faint sound. He watched her adjust for a split second and realized that well she maybe Director, her agent skills were from dead.

"Owl," she told him. He nodded; he had guessed that as well. He felt her tilt her head up to watch the stars again and he took her free hand and pointed to each star he could remember.

"Orion's belt…and the little dipper and bigger dipper, and…hm…Pegasus?"

"Wrong season," she corrected as she shifted her hand to intertwine with his. "But I'm impressed."

"You should be," he announced trying to figure out the one he'd missed.

"I'll get you a star chart for your birthday," she said amused.

"You already did."

"I did?"

"Yep, I found it, after we went left the planetarium." She looked confused but than raised an eyebrow. She had bought it for herself, swearing she would be able to name all the stars, but it had been missing from the bags and she just assumed it had never made it into the bag. She watched him reach over and grab the blue tube with the rolled up map.

"I was wondering what happened to that," she said leaning up on one arm.

"Well you were the expert so I figured you got it for me to follow along," he answered innocently, wrapping his arm higher up her back so she in effect collapsed on top of him.

"Well good, then you can tell me all about the meteor showers," she informed. "And I'll be sure to ask lots of questions."

"So if I get the answer right…" he trialed off as his hand continued his soothing path up and down her back. She smiled faintly. It had been a game they had played when they were incredibly bored, for every question the other answered correctly they got a kiss, whoever won got to pick what they did for dinner. Jenny was usually very motivated to win.

"Well I'll think of something," she assured. "So a meteor shower comes how many times a year?"

"It uh…varies," he said hesitantly rubbing a particularly sore spot on her shoulder.

"Correct." She should have been more specific.

"So what do I get?"

"What do you want?" She asked and paused. "Within reason."

"Well how do I know if what I want is within reason?" He questioned.

"Do you think I would say no?"

"I don't know," he replied.

"Well whom would you ask the question to?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to ask me, the Director, the partner…pick?"

"I want to ask Jen, but it affects the others."

"So what's the question or request?"

"I want the chance to have that conversation again."  
"Which one?" She was truly puzzled now, she had the feeling he was trying to convey something, but she wasn't always on expert on how he thought things out.

"Take your pick."

"Jethro, we've had a lot of conversations. You want to narrow the field a little?"

"Nah, never mind. Your turn, let's see…" his switch was something she hated. She hated the fact that he couldn't be affected by their memories and she hated the fact that he thought she wasn't either. Maybe because he had so many things he suppressed he was good at flipping switches, but she couldn't do that. Not anymore. She reached up with her hand taking hold of his chin forcing his eyes to meet hers.

"There's no such thing as never mind in this, you ask me what you want or you don't talk at all," she said. "You don't get to take back a question."

He met her eyes and could see she wasn't going to let him out of this one. It was fair too, he hadn't let her out till she'd told him all the details about the murder, he supposed it was only fair he was forced to reveal things as well. But he had never been very good with words, it wasn't that he didn't know what to say, it was he didn't know how, so he'd always opted for other forms of communication. He leaned up and kissed her softly, he felt her tense for a second and he pulled back slightly to meet her eyes. She looked surprised, stunned, and speechless too. He kissed her again just as soft and then pulled further back, trying to see if he'd made his point. The surprise was still there but she had this smile on her face that he remembered all to well, she was very happy.

"You could have just done that in the first place," she sighed. "During any one of our conversations," she added leaning back down and kissing him this time. He'd been kissed a lot, by a lot of different girls, but her kisses were always different. She had a playful kiss, a tempting kiss, an angry kiss, a loving kiss, and one that was all of them combined. He'd always liked kissing her, some women it was just a means to end, but he could kiss her every day and it would be the best part of the day. It wouldn't ever get boring.

Sadly they missed the meteor shower. Lizzie missed Jenny at breakfast, but not that badly. The team missed Gibbs at the morning coffee run, but neither was to concerned. Robbie missed the tire tracks leaving the house as he pulled away that morning and everyone was thankful for that. As a matter of fact, they only got a little worried when Jenny missed her flight and Gibbs missed the drive back to DC. Except that Lizzie had gotten a letter and the team an email basically explaining that the Director of NCIS was wanted back in DC immediately and Gibbs wasn't about to let her go anywhere without a security detail. So no one panicked, Jenny called Lizzie when she was back in DC, but the phone call was cut short. Gibbs was waiting for his team the morning they got back at his desk, with the obituary of Earl Massie resting nicely on the desk and the announcement that Lizzie had been named the best Jam maker in the whole state.

A week later the team was a little puzzled by the fact that Tony was left in charge while Jenny went (in support of her friend) to Earl's funeral and Gibbs' went with as security. Lizzie wasn't too broken up when they didn't show for the funeral, Robbie was a little suspicious but he didn't figure it out. And that week Gibbs and Jenny actually got to watch the lunar eclipse. Or most of it anyway.

Mary anne and wanda were the best of friends  
All through their high school days  
Both members of the 4h club  
Both active in the ffa  
After graduation mary anne went out lookin  
For a bright new world  
Wanda looked all around this town  
And all she found was earl

Well it wasn't two weeks  
After she got married that  
Wanda started getting abused  
She put on dark glasses and long sleeved blouses  
And make-up to cover a bruise  
Well she finally got the nerve to file for divorce  
She let the law take it from there  
But earl walked right through that restraining order  
And put her in intensive care

Right away mary anne flew in from Atlanta  
On a red eye midnight flight  
She held wanda's hand as they  
Worked out a plan  
And it didn't take long to decided

That earl had to die  
Goodbye earl  
Those black-eyed peas  
They tasted all right to me earl  
You're feeling weak  
Why don't you lay down  
And sleep earl  
Ain't it dark  
Wrapped up in that tarp earl

The cops came to bring earl in  
They searched the house  
High and low  
Then they tipped their hats  
And said thank you ladies  
If you hear from him let us know

Well the weeks went by and  
Spring turned to summer  
And summer faded into fall  
And it turns out he was a missing person  
Who nobody missed al all

So the girls bought some land  
And a roadside stand  
Out on highway 109  
They sell Tennessee ham  
And strawberry jam  
And they don't  
Lose any sleep at night cause

Earl had to die  
Goodbye earl  
We need a break  
Lets go out to the lake earl  
Well pack a lunch  
And stuff you in the trunk earl  
Well is that all right  
Good lets go for a ride  
Earl hey


	11. Our Song

**Title: Our Song**

**Rating: K**

**Disclaimer: If I owned them Jenny would be alive and a Great White Shark would have eaten Hollis. **

**Spoilers: Nothings Huge**

**Summary: Jenny tries to find the perfect song.**

**Note: This story is best read with Taylor Swift "Our Song" playing on repeat in the background.**

**_for Alexa. _  
**

_Love is a friendship set to music._

E. Joseph Cossman

The country music caught her attention first, followed by the young feminine voice, and the lyrics caused her to turn physically and stare at the radio on the shelf. She listened quietly as the song went through the first verse as she felt herself being transported to an empty road, a Ferrari and a man whom she knew was more than just a passing fancy.

Jenny Shepard was not a woman often accused of day dreaming but she figured with no one but herself in the house it wasn't a crime if she decided that replaying memories of a not so distant past was more important than her reports. So she settled in her chair after finding the music on her computer and hit repeat and turned to her bourbon smiling.

_The road was empty, the wind was brisk, the sun warm upon her face. She'd decided to forgo the scarf wanting the freedom the wind let her hair have. Her companion laughed beside her as she continually tried to brush the hair out of her face. The radio was playing some Italian music but she turned it down and he looked over at her laughing. _

_ "What's wrong Jen, getting sick of Italy?"_

_ "Hardly!" She countered smiling just as widely but it faded for a second. He tightened his grip on her hand. "I was just thinking, we don't really have a song," she said shyly, it was purely sentimental and romantic and she hardly needed it._

_ "Ha, yes we do," he replied. She looked at him suspiciously. "Well, you need a beat to have a song right?" She nodded. "So the slam of doors is the drum and the tap on doors to get back in, and the woodwinds is the way you breathe when you're sleeping, and..." he paused trying to think of more, steadfastly ignoring her surprised look. "When you talk real slow because Ducky is clueless, the breaks in the music are all those times I should have kissed you in DC...and the strings is your laughter, so we do have a song its just not a usual one." _

_ "That has to be the sweetest thing ever," she laughed._

_ "Yea...don't get used to it," he sounded mildly offended that he had even said it. When they pulled into their destination he got out of the car and went to help her out. "You know what the best part is?"_

_ "Hm?" _

_ "We can play it whenever we want," he kissed her gently. Later that night as she lay beside him, with his soft breathing teasing her hair she smiled._

_ "I think it's my favorite song," she whispered kissing his chest before settling back into sleep. _

Her eyes were suspiciously wet when the song ended and she sighed loudly. _Damn song,_ she was not weepy and she was not pinning over what she lost no matter what her traitorous heart decided to say. She was close to declaring her mind a traitor as well as it seemed quite content to let her memories replay themselves in her head. She listened to the song again and again as memories continued to assault her and leave her vulnerable. She finally found what she thought would be peace when she fell into sleep her eye using the reports on her desk as a pillow. Unfortunately her dreams held no release, as the song was so engraved into her.

_She was pissed off. No, pissed off was an understatement; she was livid, furious, homicidal. _Oh homicidal definitely,_ she thought. It wasn't fair, just because she was a woman did not mean she was only good for one thing. There were two things she hated about being undercover, she was too quickly growing accustomed to it and she couldn't shoot the targets when they told her to fetch a drink or some other 'woman-task.' And Gibbs hadn't been much help, simply holding her back and telling her to calm down. She'd show him calm. _We'll see how much he likes the couch,_ she decided before quickly rescinding that. No matter how pissed she was, she was not letting him sleep on the couch. She'd miss his warmth too much, and that only served to irritate her further. She let the door to the apartment they were staying in slam shut and stormed past the common room to the bathroom. She stopped midway when her peripheral vision caught something. _

_ She should have cleared the apartment first, she knew that, but she hoped to God it was just her imagination. She slipped closer to the door her hand grasping her gun lightly hoping she wasn't about to pull a gun on her lover. _On second thought he would deserve it_. She cleared the room and felt her breath catch. On every flat surface was a bouquet of orchids, and not just any orchids, but her favorite ones. The most prominent display had a card next to it and she picked up the card suspiciously for a second before recognizing the handwriting._

Our song is the slam of the doors and taps to get back in...

And the way you talk slow when Ducky doesn't know...

Our song is your breath when we're sleeping...

And your laughter when we're awake...

Our song is the times I should've kissed you...

-J

_She would have cried, but that had to be the most romantic thing he had ever done for her and he'd really surprised her with his romantic ideas. She darted into the bedroom looking for her newest item that she'd bought as a present for him. She slipped it on and slipped on her trench coat buttoning it up around the see through material. She slipped on her heels and ran to the door making it only as far as the elevator before he'd gotten off drenched from the rain and looking rather nervous. _

_ "Jethro!" She ran full tilt colliding into him trusting him to keep them on their feet and he did barely. He was a little surprised by the reaction and even more surprised when she kissed him in a way that she only ever did when they were tangled in the sheets. "I loved them."_

When Leroy Jethro Gibbs got the bright idea to drop in uninvited on the Director of NCIS, hoping his former partner wouldn't be in too bad a mood as to deny him a drink, he hadn't been expecting to have to break into her house. The light on in the back had told him she was home, most likely killing her eyes reading reports in her study, but when she didn't answer the door, nor the phone, he panicked. He would not admit to panicking of course, Jenny was a very capable agent, but if someone had broken into her house and drugged her or worse, she wouldn't be putting up much fight and he would kill whom ever laid a hand on her. He picked the lock on her front door thanking God when the alarm didn't sound and entered the house. He walked through the front not hearing anything except this cute country song that sounded a little to young for Jenny to be listening to. He paused in the doorway finding her with her head on top of her desk. She looked exhausted to him and he felt slightly bad for pissing her off as much as he had lately.

"Jethro," she murmured. His ears perked up at his name and his curiosity went off the charts. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face he certainly hoped it was good dream.

"Jenny," he called gently.

"I loved them," she said just as quietly. Now he was confused, what did she love?

"What?"

"The flowers, they're beautiful," she sighed turning her head sleepily. He wasn't sure what she was talking about but figured in good conscious he should move her to at least her couch.

"Okay Jenny, I'll get you some more," he assured reaching down to move her.

"Five more minutes..."

"You can sleep for the rest of the night, Jenny," he said picking her up carefully and depositing her gently onto her couch. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Uh huh, okay," she yawned curling up under the blanket. He shut off the music, set the alarm system, and locked the door on his way out. She blinked her eyes as the door shut and snuggled just a little deeper into the blankets. She'd woken up when he tried to pick her up and she'd faked sleep curious as to how he'd gotten in and what he'd wanted. It was sweet really, but she waited ten minutes before turning back on the music and going through her collections trying to find another song that had made her feel this happy. She listened till five the next morning and found not a one.

To her great surprise, Gibbs did not let on that he'd been in her house the night before. Nor did he mention anything regarding it, or give her looks that could be interpreted. If anything, he seemed to avoid her, and she wondered if that had something to do with the rose bouquet that had arrived before she'd gotten in. She knew for sure it wasn't from him, she was allergic to roses and he had learned that the hard way. To be fair to him, she didn't know who her secret admirer was either, but obviously it couldn't be anyone she had had a relationship with in the past_. Course, the might require the definition of a relationship, because since…he who shall not be named_, she thought_, there hasn't exactly been a deep 'meaningful' relationship_. She sighed poking her pen through the bouquet again trying to knock out a card.

She had started to sneeze almost immediately after entering her office and Cynthia had rushed off to find tissues before relocating the vase. It had resulted in Jenny hiding out in MTAC until she legitimately had to do paperwork. Cynthia was running errands in the building and had not moved the flowers yet. _Serves me right_, she thought starting at the new torture device. She sneezed again and turned on her computer, locating the country song from the previous night to listen too. The first chords had just started when the door to her office was thrown open.

"Jethro!" she snapped, attempting to glare. The cute red nose and her puffy eyes lost it, _a little too adorable for that one to work Jen_, Gibbs thought amused. Apparently his humor was not as masked as he thought. "Don't you laugh at me Leroy Jethro Gibbs! I blame you for this."

"What?" He questioned glancing over at her curiously, he'd learned his lesson about the roses and when exactly and he bought her flowers lately?

"You're trying to kill me," she sniffled grabbing another tissue.

"Tempting thought," he sighed thinking about the reporter that would probably tattle on him in the near future, _if she's out she can't hear about it and I don't get chained to the desk._ She had warned him about his punishment if he messed around with the press again, and he had no doubt she would make good on her word. Though she didn't specify her location after she tied him up. Again a smile drifted to his face.

"Shut up," she mumbled sneezing again.

"Bless you," he said gently. "Why haven't you ditched the assassination attempt?" He inquired gesturing to the flowers.

"Yea…remember the last time I tried to do that." Oh he did. The hives, the lotion, the massages…the after massages. "Mind out of the bedroom," she grumbled. He moved toward the bouquet and picked them up and walked out of her office. Cynthia was just returning to her desk.

"Cynthia the Director wants these disposed off," Gibbs informed her. The young woman glared suspiciously at the pain in the ass agent before glancing in the office and watching Jenny nod slightly.

"Of course Director," she said trying to be cheerful. "Security is trying to find out who delivered them, although Agent DiNozzo has taken an interest in this as well."

"GIBBS!" Came the half threat, half sneeze from the redhead upon hearing that. Gibbs sighed glancing once at Cynthia who walked off with the flowers before glancing in at Jenny again.

"Just a sec Jen," he said before turning back to the catwalk, he leaned over the railing spotting his team huddling around McGee's desk, McGee looking guilty, Tony looking excited, Ziva glancing around, and Abby giggling. "DINOZZO!"

"Boss!" The younger man jumped and looked around before glancing up.

"Take the day, same for the rest of you," Gibbs ordered.

"We can go?" Ziva inquired curiously.

"Want me to change my mind?"

"NO!" DiNozzo assured running to his desk to get his stuff, the rest of the team in record timing followed him. Gibbs turned back to the Director's office to find she had moved to her couch, her heels kicked off, arm over her face, and her feet over the other edge. She must've heard him close the door as she spoke.

"Cynthia I don't want to be disturbed."

"Well, I'll be sure to pass that along to her," Gibbs said, sitting on the coffee table next to the couch. "How miserable are you?"

"Oh shut it."

"Come on Jen, you should go home."

"No."

"I could always get Tony to find out whom the flowers are from," he tried. She barely moved her head up to glare at him.

"You won't, because he'll use it to win a bet." _There was that,_ he lamented. She shifted and groaned before sneezing again.

"If you go home Cynthia can have your office sanitized," he suggested. She sighed, but it came out raspy.

"Fine." She tried to sit up and placed her head back down. "Or not." He moved closer to her, putting his arm under her back and helping her sit up.

"Come on, I'll take you home." She stood with his help and they slowly made their way to his car. He helped her sit in the passenger seat before getting and starting. "You want some allergy meds?"

"Have some at home," she sniffled, leaning her head against the cool glass window. They made it to her house and he helped her out and went in, following her back to the study. She made to pour some bourbon and he gently moved her out of the way and did it himself. She flopped down into the large chair that sat there usually unused and gratefully accepted the glass. He was about to speak when his phone rang.

"Yea Gibbs…Deal with it DiNozzo. Do NOT let Ziva kill him…I'll do it," he hung up and turned wondering if Jenny had been paying attention.

"You better not have just threatened to kill a reporter," She chided.

"Senator, actually. One who apparently can't take a hint," he stated.

"You found my wannabe assassin?"

"You knew it was the Senator?" He turned it on her.

"Greatly suspected, he likes to give flashy presents supposedly because he 'cares' but ultimately because he wants something." She put the cares in air quotes. "Doesn't quite understand the idea the giving simply because you think they'll like it idea. Nor does he quite grasp the concept of caring." He imagined, that if her head weren't so stuffed, he wouldn't be hearing this.

"I gave your presents and got something in return," he teased watching to see if he stepped over that invisible line.

"Only because I really liked them," she answered with her eyes closed, head tilted back. _Nah…just toed it. _

"So not counting the senator who was the last man to give you flowers?" He inquired teasingly. He was surprised that she looked hurt, before confused one eye arching in question.

"What?"

"You must get lots of little presents a lot from your suitors." He decided that was not so teasing and sounded rather jealous, he would've head slapped himself if she wasn't there.

"No."

"So then who was the last one?" He pushed. Both eyes turned a fierce emerald.

"You." He looked slightly surprised and considered it might be in reference to the orchids that appeared after he came back from Mexico. _Own up to them or not? _

"Not counting those."

"You." She repeated. Now he knew the look of surprise was displayed. _Seriously? That was six years ago…Probably more than that, not one of those miserable bastards ever bothered to give her flowers? _ "Not everyone jumps back in the game," she sniped. _Score one for Jen_, _do not bring up her leaving…do not…don't do it Jethro, It's a bad idea. _

"Well…" he bit his tongue, no, he wouldn't say that. She didn't deserve that, well maybe she did, but not when she was feeling miserable.

"Shouldn't you be going home," she announced. He glanced at the clock, it was early, but still.

"I'll go pick up some Chinese take out and then you can eat something," he said reaching for his coat and moving toward the door. She watched him go and promptly moved to the couch, curling up under the blanket with the bourbon nearby. _He better not show back up_.

He did of course. That was after she had gone through her safe locating the piece of paper that had come with orchids so many years ago and moved all the pictures to her desk. _Damnit. _She heard him at the door and glanced around the room before picking the whole lot up and shoving it under the couch cushions. She lay back down threw the blanket over her and put her head on the pillow, closing her eyes just as he moved into the entryway. She cracked one eye open and to her surprise found him moving not just a bag of Chinese takeout, but a bouquet of orchids. He shuffled around her desk trying to put the vase down without spilling it over her stuff. He succeeded and turned back to the Chinese when an innocent white piece of paper caught his eye.

_Our song is the slam of the doors and taps to get back in..._

_ And the way you talk slow when Ducky doesn't know..._

_ Our song is your breath when we're sleeping..._

_ And your laughter when we're awake..._

_ Our song is the times I should've kissed you..._

_ -J_

She cursed under her breath as she watched him hold the paper reverently, starring at it in surprise and what she thought might be some affection…affection that was a bit stronger and a four letter word beginning with L, but she wasn't going to admit that. His phone rang again and he cursed before answering quietly.

"Gibbs."

_"Ah Jethro, I heard our lovely Director has some bad allergies, are you with her?"_

"Why would I be with her?" He asked slowly and quietly.

_"Really Jethro, this is getting old. Just bring her some flowers or something._"

There was a dial tone, followed by Gibbs snapping the phone shut. Jenny lay perfectly still, contemplating what was occurring. She hadn't realized that the song worked in reverse. The slamming of doors was obvious, but he too talked slowly with Ducky, especially when they hadn't wanted the good doctor to know, when he slept his breath and heartbeat had calmed her, his laughter, when it occurred could make her smile, and that list of times she should've kissed seemed to get longer by the day.

"Jen…Jenny," he called gently.

"Hm?"

"Brought you something," he told her helping her sit up. She saw the flowers and acted surprised.

"Beautiful, thank you Jethro." He nodded starring at her for a long moment.

"Brought some food too," he said with a shrug of his shoulders as she moved closer to the coffee table. He set out the containers placing the soup in front of her. She ate slowly watching him watch her. "Stopped by last night," he started off conversationally.

"Did you?"

"You must have been out."

"Or asleep."

"Or entertaining. Heard music."

"Oh, no it was just me, I feel asleep with the radio on, somehow moved to the couch."

"Cute song, who's it by?"  
"I have no idea, someone new and popular, I've heard the song on multiple stations since," she answered. "It's sweet." She stood and moved to her computer, hitting play and the upbeat music filled the room. She listened, and Gibbs watched as a half smile tugged at her lips.

"Guess it's not about you," he said after a minute, she glanced over. "The roses, should be orchids," he said. She chuckled lightly, nodding her head. Subtly she tried to grab the old piece of paper, but he was used to watching her and noticed. He stood and moved next to her catching her hand before she could hide the note. He gently pried it out of her fingers and glanced at her to find she had diverted her eyes away from him starring at invisible mark on the desk. "You ever found another song you liked as much?"

"No," she answered honestly. He nodded, his hand slipping from her cheek to her neck, one of hers covering it gently. He leaned down watching her eyes carefully, she nodded fractionally and he let his lips meet hers. It started gently, softly, two lovers meeting and then it exploded in colors and neither cared about trivially thing like oxygen. "Do I have to ask God to do that again?" Came his quiet voice after they finally broke apart.

"Nope," She answered pulling his head down to meet hers. A fraction before she grazed his lips again she whispered gently, "I love our song."

**END**


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